ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 14 May) – Soldiers seized smuggled cigarettes worth around P23 million at a checkpoint in Linamon, Lanao del Norte before dawn Tuesday, May 14, an official said.
Brigadier General G. Anthon Abrina, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, said the contraband was loaded in a 12-wheeler wing van bearing plate number CBA 2593, with R.C. Agulto Trucking Service as the registered owner.
Aside from the 570 boxes of assorted imported cigarettes, the contraband also included 234 packs of Lampien large diapers. The value of the diapers could not be immediately ascertained by the apprehending team.
He said the illegal items were discovered after troops asked the truck helpers to open the wing van for inspection at a checkpoint in the boundary of the coastal villages of Samburon and Magoong, Linamon at around 3:30 a.m.
The truck occupants failed to present the proper documents afterwards, prompting the soldiers to hold the truck and immediately called the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in Iligan City, Abrina said.
“This illegal activity (smuggling) is a form of economic sabotage. The government losses taxes that could be used for projects that would benefit the common people” he said.
An inventory of the seized items were conducted inside the 2nd Mechanized headquarters in Ditucalan, Iligan City.
The seized smuggled goods, the truck worth P2.5 million, and the suspects were eventually turned over to the BoC for proper disposition, Abrina said.
Toto Figueroa, the truck driver, told MindaNews they hauled the cargoes from Pagadian City and travelled via Sultan Naga Dimaporo town, Lanao del Norte, but flagged down at the checkpoint en route to their final destination in Cagayan de Oro City.
Troops from the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion are part of the apprehending team. (Richel Umel / MindaNews)
