AUTHORITIES seized on Tuesday P6 million worth of untaxed cigarettes during a raid in Balagtas, Bulacan, a police official said on Wednesday, December 4.

Brigadier General Rhodel Sermonia, Central Luzon Police Regional Office (PRO-3) acting director, said joint operatives of the Special Concern Unit-Regional Intelligence Division 3, Balagtas Municipal Police Station, Regional Mobile Force Battalion, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Bureau of Internal Revenue 3 conducted the raid in the warehouse of Fonchun Industrial Compound in Barangay Santol.

The police said the warehouse is owned by a group of businessmen including a certain John Lee. They were nowhere to be found during the raid.

“The Philippine National Police (PNP) – Police Regional Office 3 along with the other government agencies are intensifying its monitoring to prevent the entry of contraband in the region,” said Sermonia. (SunStar Philippines)