SEVEN persons were arrested while some P2.4 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized in separate law enforcement operations in two Lanao provinces, the police said Friday, July 24, 2026.
One of the seven suspects was arrested in Lanao del Sur and the other six were arrested in Lanao del Norte.
Of the total worth of seized contraband, over P2 million were confiscated in Lanao del Sur and the remaining P400,000 in Lanao del Norte.
Police Brigadier General Christopher Abecia, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) director, did not identify the arrested suspect except to say he is the driver of a light commercial vehicle the operatives intercepted Wednesday evening, July 22, in Rebokun, Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
Abecia said the operatives discovered several master cases of cigarettes believed to be smuggled upon inspection of the vehicle they intercepted while conducting checkpoint operation.
Confiscated from the vehicle were 2,400 reams or 48 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P2,053,632.
The arrested suspect, confiscated vehicle, and smuggled cigarettes are now under the custody of the Malabang Municipal Police Station for proper documentation and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for appropriate disposition and further legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Le Sua, Lanao del Norte police director, identified the six suspects through their aliases as Anhar, Alba, Hadji, Amsi, Aming, and Ansul, all residents of Davao City and Zamboanga City.
Sua said they were arrested during a checkpoint operation around 10:40 a.m. Thursday, July 23, in Samburon village, Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
“During the operation, law enforcement personnel flagged down a utility vehicle traveling from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, to Iligan City,” Sua said in his report.
Initial inspection revealed several reams of alleged smuggled cigarettes in plain view, stored inside a transparent plastic container on the vehicle's carrier, according to Sua.
He said that a more thorough inspection led to the discovery of a customized compartment concealed beneath the vehicle's flooring, where additional reams of alleged smuggled cigarettes were hidden.
He said the driver failed to present any valid documents to prove the lawful transport and possession of the goods, prompting authorities to seize the contraband.
Recovered during the checkpoint operation were 500 reams of cigarettes, with an estimated market value of P400,000, along with the utility vehicle used in transporting the smuggled goods.
Sua said the confiscated items were placed under the custody of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, for proper documentation and safekeeping pending turnover to the BOC.
The six apprehended individuals were brought to the Linamon Municipal Police Station for documentation, processing, and profiling before their referral to the BOC for appropriate legal action. (SunStar Zamboanga)