Authorities confiscated a total of P27.6 million worth of allegedly illegal cigarettes and arrested two individuals in separate operations in Bulacan and Bataan, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized 384 master cases of assorted tobacco products valued at P26.88 million from a warehouse in Barangay Poblacion, Guiguinto, Bulacan, on the night of Nov. 5, the PNP said in a statement.
During the operation, police arrested a 39-year-old Chinese man whom the CIDG identified as ‘Lin.’
The operation stemmed from a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) mission order for alleged violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code; RA No. 10643, or the Graphic Health Warnings Law; and RA No. 8424, or the National Internal Revenue Code.
Later that same night, the CIDG also seized assorted tobacco products valued at P730,100 from another facility in Barangay Panilao, Pilar, Bataan, according to the PNP.
The operation led to the arrest of a 41-year-old woman identified by the CIDG as ‘Mitch.’
She was allegedly selling tobacco products that did not conform to consumer product standards, a violation of RA No. 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the CIDG said.
The arrested suspects were taken into the custody of their respective CIDG field units.