COTABATO CITY — Policemen, backed by soldiers and local executives, seized P77 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in an anti-smuggling operation in Barangay Liyangan in Picong, Lanao del Sur on Sunday, according to BusinessWorld.
Captain Steffie P. Salanguit, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and Colonel Caesar P. Cabuhat, Lanao del Sur provincial police director, confirmed the operation. The contraband, composed of various cigarette brands, was discovered in a warehouse during the joint law enforcement action.
The seizure highlights the persistent issue of cigarette smuggling in the region, which deprives the government of tax revenues. Authorities have not announced any arrests but said the investigation is ongoing to identify those behind the smuggling operation.