TWO people were arrested while some P860,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes in separate law enforcement operations in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City, the police said Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Police Brigadier General Christopher Abrahano, Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao director, identified the two arrested suspects as alias Hawe, 31, and alias Hary, 25.
Abrahano said Hawe was arrested in a law enforcement operation around 1:40 p.m. Sunday, July 19, in Campong village, Pantar, Lanao del Norte.
Abrahano said the operatives were conducting checkpoint operation when they flagged down a multicab utility vehicle traveling from Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, to Iligan City.
“Upon inspection, personnel observed, in plain view through the vehicle’s open window, several reams of alleged smuggled cigarettes stacked on the floor of the passenger compartment,” Abrahano said in his report.
Seize during the checkpoint operation were 250 reams of cigarettes, all without the required government health warning stickers, with an estimated market value of P200,000 along with the multicab utility vehicle used in transporting the contraband.
Hawe was detained and will be charged for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The confiscated items have been turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for proper disposition.
Meanwhile, Hary was arrested by operatives in an earlier checkpoint operation around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 18, along the national highway in Purok 5, Sitio Mapalad, Dalipuga village, Iligan City.
Abrahano said the checkpoint operation stemmed from intelligence information regarding a vehicle carrying peeled coconuts that was allegedly concealing smuggled cigarettes beneath its cargo.
Acting on the report, authorities flagged down the vehicle travelling from Marawi, Lanao del Sur bound to Cagayan de Oro City, and observed, in plain view, several boxes of cigarettes concealed among the peeled coconuts.
Abrahano said Hary was arrested after he failed to present importation documents, BOC clearance, tax stamps, or proof of payment of the required customs duties and internal revenue taxes.
He said seized during the operation were 825 reams of cigarettes with an estimated market value of P660,000, as well as the vehicle used to transport the contraband. (SunStar Zamboanga)