THE Police Regional Office in Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) seized an estimated P787,500 worth of smuggled cigarettes during a mobile patrol in Purok Margarita, Barangay Balintawak, Escalante City, Negros Occidental on February 16, 2026.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-NIR Public Information Office chief, said operatives from the Escalante City Police Office and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) were conducting a routine patrol when they spotted a man unloading boxes of cigarettes into a white utility vehicle at 9:02 p.m.
As an operative approached, the suspect, identified as alias "Sap," a resident of Purok Gardenia, Barangay Balintawak, fled the scene. Malong said that despite a coordinated pursuit, the suspect evaded capture and remains at large.
Police recovered five master cases of Gold City cigarettes, 15 master cases of Cannon cigarettes, 10 master cases of Thunder cigarettes, five master cases of Casablanca cigarettes, and the utility vehicle.
Malong said the team documented the recovered items using body-worn cameras (BWC) to ensure transparency and accountability. Officers transported the confiscated goods to the Escalante City Police Station for documentation and the filing of charges.
Malong said the operation highlights PRO-NIR’s proactive campaign against smuggling and illegal trade.
By catching violators during patrols, she said the regional police demonstrate a commitment to uphold Republic Act (RA) 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), RA 10643 (Graphic Health Warnings Law), and RA 8424 (Tax Reform Act of 1997).
She added that these operations protect public health and safeguard government revenue. (MAP)