THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has stepped up its nationwide campaign against illegal cigarette operations, warning that billions of pesos in illicit profits could be fueling organized crime and other unlawful activities.
In a statement, PNP Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the recent operations uncovered the scale and sophistication of illegal cigarette manufacturing plants, pointing to what he described as a “deeper criminal structure.”
Intelligence reports, he said, indicate that a so-called “tobacco lord” and two lawmakers are allegedly financing the operations.
“Based on our intelligence reports and the scale of these operations, this is not just about tax evasion -- this is organized crime,” Nartatez said.
He warned that revenues from the illegal trade, estimated to run into billions of pesos, may be diverted to other illicit activities such as arms smuggling, human trafficking, and even the financing of private armed groups.
The PNP chief said investigators are now mapping out the financial trail behind the illegal cigarette network, examining how funds move across regions and identifying individuals involved at every level of the supply chain.
Authorities are coordinating closely with the Bureau of Customs and other enforcement agencies to track the flow of goods and money, as part of a broader effort to dismantle what Nartatez described as the “ecosystem” supporting the illegal trade.
“We will not allow this to become a source of funding for various types of crimes in our country,” he said.
Nartatez also issued a stern warning to those allegedly behind the operations, saying political influence or financial clout will not shield anyone from prosecution.
“No amount of money, influence, or political connections can protect those behind this. Whoever is involved -- whether a so-called ‘tobacco lord’ or a public official -- we will go after you,” he said.
The PNP chief appealed to the public to support the campaign, emphasizing that every pack of illegal cigarettes represents lost revenue for essential public services particularly health care.
“Each pack of illicit cigarettes is stolen funding from our health services and infrastructure. Let us not support illegal products,” he said.
Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious warehouses, unlicensed factories, or trucks unloading undocumented goods in their communities.
Tips can be relayed to the nearest police station or through the government’s Unified 911 system.
The PNP assured the public that identities of informants will be protected and that authorities will act promptly on all credible reports.
With the expanded campaign, the police force aims not only to shut down illegal cigarette plants but also to cut off financial pipelines that may be sustaining broader criminal networks nationwide.
On Monday, February 16, 2026, Nartatez, together with Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, inspected three warehouses in San Fernando, Mexico and San Simon in Pampanga believed to be used for the manufacturing of illegal cigarettes.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized over P400 million worth of machines and raw products in the warehouses.
Remulla said the abandonment of the three warehouses is the offshoot of the raid conducted in the first of week of February in Mexico town where over 60 illegally recruited Filipino workers were rescued from.
“Sino ang nagpoprotekta sa kanila dito? So may persons of interest kami pero hindi pa namin natatie-up instinctively kung sila talaga ang kasama pero tingin namin may tobacco lord dito at ang hinala pa lang naman ay dalawang Central Luzon congressmen,” he said.
(Who is protecting them here? So we have persons of interest, but we haven’t instinctively tied them up yet to confirm if they are really involved. However, we think there’s a tobacco lord here, and the suspicion so far is just on two Central Luzon congressmen.)
“So ang pinakamabigat dito ay hindi ang liability ng LGU kungdi forfeiture of properties under the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act. So ito ay magfa-file ng DOJ for forfeiture ‘yung ito, sa Mexico, San Simon lahat yan ay mapapasailalim na sa gobyerno,” he added.
(So the heaviest issue here is not the liability of the LGU but the forfeiture of properties under the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act. This will be filed with the DOJ for forfeiture -- properties in Mexico, San Simon, all of those will come under government control.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)