The Philippine National Police (PNP) seized approximately P70 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes during an operation in Picong, Lanao del Sur on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
According to a report from the Bangsamoro Regional Police Office, 21 individuals were apprehended in the early morning raid conducted around 3 a.m. The operation targeted three vacant lots near the coastal area in Barangay Liyangan, which were believed to be used as makeshift storage for smuggled contraband.
Among those arrested, five were minors who were subsequently turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. Police reported that the smuggled cigarettes were being transported by sea.
PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. commended the seizure, highlighting its impact on the national economy. He stated, “We continue to be relentless in this campaign to send a strong message that this illegal activity has no place in any part of the country. Our coordination and support system is also getting stronger both against smuggling and illegal production of cigarettes.”
Nartatez acknowledged the assistance provided by the Philippine Army in conducting the raids and securing the three sites where the smuggled cigarettes were discovered and confiscated.
He added that follow-up operations are now underway targeting at least four individuals whose names surfaced during the initial investigation. “We are now preparing criminal charges against those arrested and all those who are involved in this illegal activity, including the owners of these makeshift storage areas,” Nartatez said.
Since assuming the top PNP post, Nartatez has overseen the seizure of billions of pesos worth of smuggled and illegally produced cigarettes, along with manufacturing equipment. He vowed to sustain these gains and ordered his men to further intensify coordination with communities, noting that residents have been instrumental in uncovering many successful anti-cigarette smuggling operations.
