Smuggled Cigarettes Worth ₱4.9M Seized in Zamboanga del Sur | People’s Press PH

By Sherman Calotes | Philippine People's Press 

Authorities seized over ₱4.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested a 65-year-old businesswoman during a joint operation on the evening of June 3, 2025, in Barangay Makugihon, Molave town.

The suspect was apprehended around 9:00 PM for alleged violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (Republic Act 10863) and provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code, particularly Sections 263 and 265, which pertain to the unlawful possession and trade of untaxed products.

The operation was carried out by composite units of the Regional Anti-Smuggling Unit  Zamboanga del Sur (RA-ZDS), Regional Intelligence Division 9 (RID9), Regional Mobile Force Battalion 9 (RMFB9), Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Intelligence Unit (ZSPIU), the Bureau of Customs Pagadian City, and the Molave Municipal Police Station, based on a search warrant issued by RTC Branch 23.

A total of 87 master cases of imported, untaxed cigarettes valued at approximately ₱4.98 million were confiscated during the raid.

The seized contraband is now under the custody of the Bureau of Customs Pagadian City for proper inventory and legal processing, while the suspect remains detained at the Molave Municipal Police Station pending further investigation and formal charges.

Authorities reiterated their warning against smuggling and the illicit trade of tobacco products, emphasizing that they remain steadfast in enforcing tax laws and protecting government revenue.

Source: Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office Public information Office 

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