Police seized nearly P2.5 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in two separate operations along two coastal towns in Sultan Kudarat province in the past two days.
The Police Regional Office 12 (PRO 12) reported recovering a total of 2,974 reams of cigarettes valued at P2,544,792.22 during the operations in Kalamansig and Lebak towns.
The recovery followed a report from a concerned citizen about suspected smuggled cigarettes abandoned along the shoreline. Responding police officers found no one claiming ownership of the items.
The Lebak Municipal Police Station conducted the operation with the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Intelligence Unit and the Regional Intelligence Division 12 Tracker Team Delta. The Bureau of Customs examined the recovered cigarettes through a Viber call before the items were brought to the police station for documentation and proper disposition.
A day earlier, a joint seaborne patrol confiscated 2,674 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes worth P2,288,088.22 in the waters off Barangay Pag-Asa, Kalamansig, at around 4:30 p.m.
Police said the operation was conducted to verify information about an abandoned, unregistered motorized banca allegedly carrying smuggled cigarettes.
Upon reaching the area, the team found several boxes of cigarettes in plain view aboard the banca. The items consisted of Cannon Menthol and Victor Agila cigarettes.
Initial investigation showed that the unmarked and unregistered banca had reportedly been unattended for two days. No one claimed ownership of the vessel or the cigarettes.
The operation involved personnel from the Kalamansig Municipal Police Station, the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Intelligence Unit and the 2nd Sultan Kudarat Provincial Mobile Force Company, along with the Southern Mindanao Coast Guard Station, Kalamansig Maritime Law Enforcement Team and RID 12 Tracker Team Delta.
PRO 12 director Brig. Gen. Alan B. Manibog said the police would continue coordinating with partner agencies to address the smuggling in the region.