SMUGGLED. Photo shows the PHP5,000 marked money and the cigarettes under the “Gudang Baru” brand reportedly smuggled from Indonesia that were seized by police operatives during an entrapment Monday night (March 1, 2021) in a house in Barangay Lagao, General Santos City. The illegal cigarettes were being distributed in the area by seven suspects from Zamboanga City. (Photo courtesy of the General Santos City Police Office)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Police operatives have recovered around PHP2.3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes from Indonesia in an entrapment operation in a village here on Monday night.
Maj. Rissa Hernaez, the spokesperson of the city police office, said Tuesday the illegal items were found from the possession of seven persons from Zamboanga City who were renting a house in Barangay Lagao.
She said the city police earlier received a tip from concerned residents that the suspects were selling cigarettes marked with “Gudang Baru” brand that were reportedly smuggled from Indonesia.
An undercover police officer was able to buy a least 10 reams of cigarettes from the suspects using PHP5,000 marked bills during the entrapment around 6:50 p.m., she said.
In a subsequent search, Hernaez said the operatives found inside the house some 84 boxes of the same cigarette brand with an estimated value of PHP2.3 million.
“The suspects were not able to present any document regarding the items so they were considered illegal,” she told reporters.
The seven suspects were identified as Alraif Amilasan, Morvin Kulayan, Normin Paddam, Jehar Malo, Burgo Matanog, Michael Aman and Jerry Sampulna, all listed as residents of Zamboanga City.
Hernaez said one of them admitted during questioning that the smuggled cigarettes were from Zamboanga and were brought to the area via land travel.
She said the suspects reportedly used a delivery van marked with “fish dealer” in transporting the illegal items.
“We’re currently investigating the other possible cohorts and networks of the suspects,” she said.
Hernaez added that the city police office and the Police Regional Office-12’s intelligence division are also monitoring the other possible sources of the smuggled cigarettes under the same brand that have been proliferating in the area. (PNA)
