SOME P220,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized as authorities have intensified the anti-smuggling campaign in the province of Maguindanao del Norte, the police said Sunday, April 27, 2025.
Police Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) director, said the smuggled cigarettes were seized on Wednesday, April 24, in Sitio Tenorio, Awang village, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
Macapaz said no one was arrested as the supposed owner or shipper of the smuggled cigarettes was gone when the police arrived in Sitio Tenorio, Awang village.
Macapaz said the policemen from Datu Odin Sinsuat were responding to a report about an abandoned box seen in Sitio Tenorio, resulting in the confiscation of 11 master cases of cigarettes worth P220,000.
He called on the public to be vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
Macapaz emphasized that the fight against smuggling is not only the police's fight but the responsibility of every citizen.
“The fight against smuggling is not only the duty of the police but of the entire community. With the help of the public, we can further strengthen the campaign against illegal activities that threaten peace and order in Barmm (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao),” Macapaz added. (SunStar Zamboanga)