Boxes of alleged smuggled cigarettes valued at P9.5 million were confiscated by authorities in Maguindanao del Norte, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
The products were seized after the Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal police flagged a white closed van and a gas tanker at a checkpoint in Barangay Poblacion early Thursday morning, the PNP detailed in a statement.
‘The operation led to the confiscation of 266 boxes of smuggled cigarettes. marked ‘for export only.’ It also resulted in the arrest of two male suspects, aged 22 and 26, who attempted to transport the contraband,’ the police said.
The PNP did not identify the two suspects arrested.
However, it did state that the suspects were taken into custody by the municipal police to face charges for violating Republic Act No. 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.