World · Philippines Bureau
Police seize half-million-peso contraband cigarettes in Maguindanao del Norte
Officers discovered an estimated P600,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes abandoned along a national highway in Maguindanao del Norte on Monday. The confiscated goods were found during a routine patrol in Sultan Mastura.
LSN Philippines ·
Police in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region have seized a significant cache of contraband cigarettes abandoned beside a national highway in Maguindanao del Norte. Elements of the Police Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14-A discovered the cigarettes during operations in Sultan Mastura on Monday, according to authorities.
Brig. Gen. Christopher Abecia, regional director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, reported that the recovered contraband is valued at approximately P600,000. The cigarettes were found abandoned along the roadside, though details regarding the circumstances of their discovery remain under investigation.
The recovery marks the latest in an ongoing effort by regional police to combat smuggling operations in the Bangsamoro region. Authorities have intensified patrols along major highway corridors known to be vulnerable to illegal trafficking activities. The disposition of the seized cigarettes and any related criminal investigations have not yet been disclosed.