Ang Pahayagan

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Authorities arrested five individuals and confiscated nearly Php2 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes and assorted smuggled goods during a joint enforcement operation in Plaridel, Bulacan late Thursday night, March 26.

Operatives from the Plaridel Municipal Police Station, with support from the Bulacan Police Provincial Office Provincial Intelligence Branch and representatives of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation, carried out the operation after receiving a complaint from a property owner about suspicious nighttime activities inside a rented compound in Barangay San Jose.

Upon inspection of the compound, authorities discovered several boxes of cigarettes stored in plain view. Initial validation confirmed that many of the products were counterfeit and untaxed Marlboro cigarettes, a violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, particularly Sections 263 and 265.

Arrested during the operation were a Chinese national identified as the tenant of the property, along with four Filipino workers including a driver. The suspects failed to present documents proving payment of taxes or legal authorization to store and distribute the goods.

Police confiscated counterfeit cigarette products and various untaxed brands including Green Commando, Cannon, Mighty, Two Moon, and Delta, with an estimated value of about Php812,500. Authorities also recovered assorted consumer goods suspected to be counterfeit or non-compliant with regulations, including rubber shoes, food seasonings, instant noodles, and perfumes valued at around Php1,091,080.

The total estimated value of the seized items reached approximately Php1,903,580.

Charges are being prepared against the suspects for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, the Consumer Act of the Philippines, and the Graphic Health Warnings Law.

Meanwhile, Police Brig. Gen. Jess B. Mendez, director of the Police Regional Office 3, emphasized that the operation reflects the intensified campaign against smuggling and the proliferation of counterfeit goods that threaten both the economy and public welfare.

“This operation underscores our firm stance against smuggling and the spread of counterfeit products that undermine our economy and endanger public welfare,” Mendez said.

He added that the operation was carried out in line with the directives of Juanito Victor C. Remulla Jr., Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police.

Authorities reiterated their call for public cooperation in reporting illegal activities related to smuggling and counterfeit products, assuring that all reports will be acted upon promptly and discreetly as part of the continuing effort to protect consumers and strengthen economic security in Central Luzon. (Jason de Asis)

📸 Php1.9-M Worth of Fake Cigarettes, Contraband Goods Seized in Bulacan | Authorities present the counterfeit cigarettes and assorted smuggled goods confiscated during a joint enforcement operation in Plaridel, Bulacan, which led to the arrest of five individuals. Operatives from the Plaridel Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the Bulacan Police Provincial Office and representatives from Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation, recovered nearly Php1.9 million worth of counterfeit and untaxed cigarettes along with other suspected smuggled consumer goods during the operation. The suspects are now under police custody and are facing charges for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, and other applicable laws. (Jason de Asis)