Maguindanao: Police seized PHP3.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested two men at a highway checkpoint here Tuesday afternoon. In a statement on Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director, said an intelligence-driven operation intercepted a white Isuzu wing van truck in Barangay Pinantao around 4 p.m.
According to Philippines News Agency, officers discovered thousands of reams of GAJAH BARU brand cigarettes concealed in the vehicle's walls and floor. The driver failed to present valid documents for the cargo. An initial inventory counted 4,582 reams with an estimated value of PHP3,596,870.
"This is not only a fight against smuggling, but a fight against illegal activities that affect the economy and put the safety of communities," De Guzman said. The suspects, the vehicle, and the confiscated goods are held at the Parang Municipal Police Station for turnover to the Bureau of Customs and filing of charges.
