BUSTED. Police personnel of Parang town, Maguindanao del Norte province, account for the smuggled cigarettes seized from 11 suspected smugglers on Monday (Nov. 7, 2022). An estimated PHP1 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized from the suspects. (Photo courtesy of Parang MPS)
PARANG, Maguindanao del Norte – Authorities have arrested 11 persons and seized around PHP1 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in this town on Monday, an official said Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, police regional director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said the suspects were caught unloading boxes of smuggled cigarettes in Sitio Lower Pinantao, Barangay Pinantao here.
“A confidential informant alerted the Parang police early Monday about a motorized boat docked in Sitio Lower Pinantao that was loaded with boxes of cigarettes,” Guyguyon said.
A police team immediately responded and caught the suspects unloading about 50 boxes of smuggled cigarettes from a motorboat.
“When asked about the legal documents of the items, the suspects failed to present any that resulted in their immediate arrest,” Guyguyon said.
The 11 suspects, led by Julaspi Ismael, are all residents of Siasi, Sulu. They are now detained at the police detention facility here.
The confiscated smuggled cigarettes were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition. (PNA)
