LAWMEN have arrested three people and seized some P481,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes in a law enforcement operation in Lanao del Sur, the police said Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
Police Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), did not release the identities of the three arrested individuals except to say they are all of legal age and residents of Bacolod-Kalawi, Lanao del Sur.
Macapaz said the trio were arrested on Tuesday, October 22, in Barangay Linuk, Madalum, Lanao del Sur.
Macapaz said the three individuals were arrested when the policemen flagged a tricycle loaded with assorted cigarettes while conducting a checkpoint operation.
Seized from the three were 13 master cases of assorted undocumented cigarettes worth P481,000 and without health warning labels.
The apprehended individuals and the recovered smuggled cigarettes were taken to Madalum Municipal Police Station for documentation and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.
Meanwhile, Macapaz lauded the prompt initiative of Madalum policemen, highlighting their unwavering commitment to combating illegal activities and protecting local businesses from counterfeit items being sold in the region. (SunStar Zamboanga)