The Manila Times

Smuggled cigarettes, marijuana seized

THE Police Regional Office-12 seized assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P137,200 along the National Highway in Tuato village, President Quirino town, Sultan Kudarat.

Information was received on Sunday by PNP personnel of President Quirino Municipal Police Station (MPS) that there was a container van obstructing the national highway that caused traffic in the area.

A team immediately acted on the call and found the container van was loaded with boxes of cigarettes.

The team arrested truck driver Jan Keith Faye Labores, 22, and truck helper, Salahudin Abdulcader, 19, both residents of Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Authorities seized from their possession nine boxes containing 45 reams of Commando cigarette brand with market value amounting to P137,200 and one white Foton container van, with plate no. KAG 7087.

The suspects were temporarily detained at President Quirino MPS while a criminal case for violation of Republic Act 10863 otherwise known as the “Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to Section 168 of RA 8293” is being prepared against them for an inquest.

“The confiscation of these smuggled items is the result of persistent police and community partnership in preventing the occurrence of crime. This is a true manifestation that our relentless effort to curb illegal activities in our area of responsibility can be achieved with our collaborative actions along with the unrelenting support of the community,” PRO-12 Regional Director BGen. Jimili Macaraeg said.

Meanwhile, policemen seized P600,000 worth of marijuana leaves in a rice sack and four plastic bags from two peddlers in an entrapment operation in Marawi City.

The duo, Abdulrahman Casanguan Galawan, 25, and Arham Benaning Zacaria, 30, are now in the custody of the Marawi City Police Office.

They are to be prosecuted for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Lanao del Sur provincial police director, said Galawan and Zacaria yielded without resistance when they were frisked by non-uniformed policemen to whom they sold their illegal merchandise in a buy-bust in Barangay Midpantao Gadungan village, Marawi City.

Anti-narcotics operatives estimated the value of the marijuana leaves recovered from the suspects at no less than P600,000.

Bongcayao said the operation that led to the arrest of Galawan and Zacaria by combined anti-narcotics agents from the Marawi City and Lanao del Sur police forces arose from tips by people aware of their marijuana peddling activities.

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2022-09-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-09-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://digitaledition.manilatimes.net/article/281694028639379

The Manila Times