World · Philippines Bureau
Police bust P6.5M cigarette smuggling operation in Misamis Occidental
Officers intercepted a shipment of nearly 6.5 million pesos worth of contraband cigarettes at a checkpoint in Misamis Occidental early Tuesday. Two couriers were arrested in connection with the illicit transport operation.
LSN Philippines ·
A pre-dawn enforcement operation by Police Regional Office-10 has disrupted an alleged cigarette smuggling network operating in Misamis Occidental. Officers conducted the checkpoint operation and seized 8,116 reams of "Modern" brand cigarettes during the early morning raid on Tuesday.
The confiscated cigarettes, valued at approximately P6.5 million, were destined for distribution in Central Luzon, according to police reports. Authorities apprehended two couriers who were transporting the contraband at a border checkpoint in the province.
The seizure represents the latest in a series of anti-smuggling operations targeting illegal tobacco trade routes in Mindanao. Police Regional Office-10 has intensified border controls to intercept contraband goods moving between regions.
Investigators are examining the shipment's origin and destination networks as part of a broader crackdown on organized smuggling activities. The two arrested individuals remain in police custody pending further investigation and appropriate charges.