GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police seized some PHP5.2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes from Indonesia in separate operations at a coastal village here in the last two days.
Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, Region 12 police director, said Wednesday the illegal items were intercepted by joint operatives while being sneaked in into the city aboard motorized bancas and at a makeshift warehouse in Purok Kulasi, Barangay Labangal.
He said personnel from the city police station 02, city police intelligence branch and the regional mobile force company initially stopped the entry of 39 boxes of smuggled cigarettes at a portion of Barangay Labangal at around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
The official said the cigarettes were shipped to the area aboard four motorized bancas manned by three undocumented Indonesian nationals identified as Sugonop Bentelu, 54; Rafles Pangutesang Salaka, 45; and, Aris Bintilo, 26.
Morales said the operatives recovered 92 more boxes of smuggled cigarettes on Tuesday afternoon stacked inside a house at Purok Kulasi that were used by the suspects as a warehouse.
The operation was based on a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 35 Judge Oscar Noel for illegal importation of cigarettes.
"They traced the movements of the suspects and were led to the warehouse," Morales told reporters.
Citing their assessment, he said each box of the smuggled cigarettes was worth around PHP40,000.
Initial investigation showed that the illegal items, composed of Garam and Gudang Baru premium brands, were smuggled into the area via the backdoor route from Indonesia.
It reportedly passed through the traditional transport route that connects the Sangihe Islands in Indonesia to nearby provinces of Sarangani and Davao Occidental, and this city.
Morales said the suspects were already arrested two weeks ago but were able to post bail and eventually returned to their illegal activities.
He was referring to the recovery of some 33 boxes of smuggled cigarettes worth PHP600,000 in an operation in Barangay Calumpang last April 9.
“We will file a motion to prevent them from posting bail again," Morales said.
The official said they have launched a manhunt against the alleged local contact of the Indonesians identified as a certain Toto Malik.
He said Malik owned the house that was used as the warehouse of the smuggled cigarettes.
Morales said they are investigating several other personalities who are possibly connected in the smuggling activity.
He said they coordinated with the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime police to help intensify the patrols along the coastlines of the city and the neighboring areas.
"We can properly secure our back door if we have more patrolling water assets," he said.
The Police Regional Office-12 also coordinated with private fishermen to help them in gathering information regarding the smuggling activities, he added.
Morales said they have coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration for the proper handling of the arrested Indonesians.
He said they will also turn over the recovered smuggled cigarettes to the Bureau of Customs here. (PNA)
