(Infographic courtesy of Police Regional Office-Soccsksargen)
COTABATO CITY – Police officers arrested two suspects and seized PHP3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes loaded in a cargo truck in Tantangan, South Cotabato on Wednesday.
In a report Thursday, Major Randy Apostol, Tantangan town police chief, identified the driver as Nohamen Makangkong, 28, and an 18-year-old helper, both of Maitum town, Sarangani.
Apostol said personnel of the Provincial Police Mobile Group Company manning a checkpoint in Barangay Cuyapo, Tantangan, found some 299 boxes with 14,950 reams of Canon cigarettes believed to have been smuggled into the country from Malaysia or Indonesia.
The suspects admitted the contraband was from Palimbang, a coastal town in Sultan Kudarat, and further divulged it was intended for delivery to South Cotabato and North Cotabato provinces.
Apostol said the suspects failed to provide the required documents prompting the authorities to apprehend them.
He added that a follow-up operation is underway to get the owner of the contraband who managed to evade arrest.
Charges for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act were filed against the arrested suspects. (PNA)
