Bago checkpoint yields PHP 380,000 illicit cigarettes

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Two persons were arrested after they allegedly evaded a police checkpoint while carrying PHP 380,000 worth of illicit cigarettes in Barangay Balingasag, Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday.

Police arrested a 30-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both residents of Binalbagan town.

Investigation showed that the man was driving a white Toyota Revo from Bacolod City when police tried to flag down the vehicle at a checkpoint.

Police said the vehicle suddenly sped away in an apparent attempt to evade the checkpoint.

A pursuit operation followed until police intercepted the vehicle along the highway in Barangay Pacol, Bago City.

Upon inspection, the driver failed to present a valid driver’s license and pertinent vehicle documents.

Police said they observed several boxes inside the vehicle when the driver opened the window.

The occupants later allegedly admitted that the boxes contained 23 boxes of illicit cigarettes.

The operation followed the recovery of PHP 5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and PHP 60,000 worth of used clothing by the Philippine Coast Guard at the Dumaguete port in Negros Oriental on Wednesday.

The truck driver and two helpers in the Dumaguete port incident were held for further investigation.

The recovered items were turned over to the Bureau of Customs.

Authorities have been stepping up operations against illicit cigarettes, which evade taxes and customs regulations and compete with legally imported or locally manufactured tobacco products.