LAWMEN arrested an individual and seized a shipment of some P2.8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in a law enforcement operation in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, the police said Friday, September 25, 2026.
Police Brigadier General Elmer Ragay, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, did not identify the arrested individual except to say he is a 39-year-old male and a resident of Purok Nangka, Culasian village, Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Ragay said the shipment of smuggled cigarettes was seized around 3:30 a.m. Friday, September 25, along the shore of Timan village, Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte.
He said confiscated during the operation were 49 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes and one motorboat.
He said that based on the Bureau of Customs Standard Price Index, the confiscated cigarettes have an estimated total value of ₱2,807,700.
He said the accomplishment reflects the relentless commitment of Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula to suppress smuggling and other forms of illicit trade in the regon.
“We will continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations, strengthen coordination among our units and partner agencies, and maintain heightened vigilance along our coastal areas and other possible entry points,” Ragay said in a statement. (SunStar Zamboanga)
