POLICE authorities seized nearly P3 million worth of smuggled tobacco at the checkpoint of Davao City on Valentine's Day, February 14.
In a press release, the Task Force (TF) Davao and Davao City Police Office in coordination with the Bureau of Customs-Davao (BOC-Davao) confiscated a total of 5,142 reams of smuggled cigarettes with an estimated street value of P2,982,360 at the Sirawan Checkpoint in Toril.
Authorities seized the smuggled items inside a 10-wheeler wing van truck passing through the border control point.
The wing van truck was driven by a certain Webster B. Niebre, 28, a resident of Lower Glad Midsayap, North Cotabato. Niebre was flagged down around 3:35 a.m.
TF Davao Commander Colonel Darren E. Comia said they are intensifying their checkpoint operations of the security clusters in the city.
Comia said the city will "always be on alert and vigilant to filter smuggled and illegal contrabands considered very dangerous and harmful to the Dabawenyos and the city's economy."
The driver and the hefty contraband were turned over to BOC-Davao and Toril Police Station for filing of appropriate charges in relation to Republic Act (RA) No. 4712, or an Act amending Certain sections of the Tariff and Customs Code of The Philippines.
Lawyer Erastus Sandin Austria, Bureau of Customs-Port of Davao (BOC-Davao), in a previous SunStar Davao report dated October 7, 2022 that the bureau has seized around P85 million worth of smuggled cigarettes as of October 2022, making it the highest worth of smuggled goods for this year.
Assistant Majority Leader and Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Representative Margarita Ignacia "Migs" Nograles, along with Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte First district Rep. Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos, filed House Bill No. 3917, which seeks to declare the smuggling of tobacco products into the country as “economic sabotage.” RGL