Smuggled cigarettes seized in Cordova

Local

LAW enforcers seized smuggled cigarettes worth more than P130,000 in Cordova town, Cebu on Wednesday night, Feb. 11.

Col. Abubakar Mangelen Jr., chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said the confiscation was part of an intensified campaign against illegal cigarretes being sold in the province.

“We will continue to intensify our campaign against the proliferation of smuggled cigarettes in Cebu Province. These illegal activities deprive the government of rightful revenues and harm legitimate businesses. We will relentlessly pursue those involved and ensure that appropriate charges are filed,” said Mangelen.

Police said 48 reams and 11 packs of Fort cigarettes and another 16 reams of King Pen cigarettes with a combined value of P130,200 were seized from the store of a retailer in Barangay San Miguel, Cordova

According to the retailer, a certain Francis, the cigarettes were delivered by a Muslim distributor. He admitted buying the cigarettes from the distributor for being cheaper compared to other branded tobacco products.

Police said the cigarettes were considered illegal as they did not go through proper labelling, taxation, and licensing before they were sold in the market.(CDB)