AUTHORITIES have arrested two individuals as they seized a shipment of over P1.1 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Maguindanao del Norte, the police said Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
Police Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) director, said the two individuals were arrested during a checkpoint operation on Sunday, July 20, in Barangay Capiton, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
De Guzman said the personnel from the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company flagged down a close van during the conduct of routine checkpoint operations.
De Guzman said initial inspection revealed boxes of cigarettes partially concealed behind Styrofoam containers.
He said a more thorough inspection, conducted at the Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Police Station, uncovered additional smuggled items hidden in fabricated compartments inside the vehicle's walls, ceiling, and flooring.
He said the total haul included 38 master cases and 850 reams of cigarettes, all labeled "for export only," with an estimated market value of P1.1 million.
The seized truck and contraband, along with the two apprehended individuals, are now under the custody of Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Police Station for appropriate legal procedures and disposition. (SunStar Zamboanga)