Bacolod police seize PHP 519,000 in smuggled cigarettes

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Police Office seized PHP 519,000 worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes from an abandoned house in Florence Ville Subdivision, Barangay Pahanocoy, on Monday.

Police said BCPO intelligence operatives were monitoring a person with an arrest warrant when they spotted an unidentified individual carrying a large brown box while leaving the house, which was dark and appeared unoccupied.

Authorities said the person fled toward an upper cemented stairway and escaped, leaving the box behind.

Police said the box contained assorted illicit cigarettes.

A further search of the house yielded more boxes containing additional illicit cigarettes, police said.

The seized cigarettes were turned over to the appropriate government agencies for proper disposition, police said.

The BCPO said it will intensify intelligence and enforcement operations against illegal trade activities in the city.