THE Lanao del Norte Provincial Police Office (LDN PPO) seized boxes of undocumented tobacco cigarettes worth almost a P1 million from a vehicle at a checkpoint in Barangay Butadon, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte on Monday, September 3, 2024.
Members of the 4th Platoon, 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) of LDN PPO, the Police Intelligence Unit (PIU) and the Kapatagan Municipal Police Station intercepted a black vehicle driven by a certain "Sakur," 25, resident of Kaanyangan Village in Jolo, Sulu, around 12:30 a.m. on Monday.
Authorities said that upon examination, they discovered several boxes of alleged smuggled cigarettes at the back seat of the car.
Sakur was unable to present the necessary documentation for the said cigarettes, which were being transported from Pagadian City to Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte.
Confiscated were 20 boxes of cigarettes valued at P800,000, four large black cellophane containing 50 reams each valued at P160,000, and one large black cellophane containing 40 cases worth P800.
These items, together with the suspect, were brought to the Kapatagan Municipal Police Station for documentation and disposition.
The police said a case for violation of Republic Act 10643 or Graphic Health Warnings Law will be filed against Sakur.
Police Brigadier General Ricardo Layug Jr., regional director of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao, assured the public that they will remain vigilant in their efforts to thwart any illegal activities in the region.
"I call upon the public to continue supporting the government’s campaigns against all forms of criminality," he said. (Jo Ann Sablad)