Authorities arrested three individuals and confiscated approximately P2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a routine law enforcement operation in Lanao del Norte, an official announced Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Checkpoint Operation Leads to Seizure
Police Colonel Leo De Leon Sua, Lanao del Norte police director, identified the arrested suspects as residents of Maigo and Bacolod towns, aged 21, 22, and 41. The arrests occurred around 11:50 a.m. Saturday, May 23, in Tambo village, Munai, Lanao del Norte.
According to Sua, operatives conducting a checkpoint operation flagged three vehicles for routine inspection. “The checkpoint personnel observed, in plain view, boxes containing suspected smuggled cigarettes loaded in the rear compartments of the vehicles. Upon inspection, the drivers were unable to present valid documents to establish the lawful transport and ownership of the goods,” Sua said in a report.
Confiscated Items and Legal Proceedings
Confiscated items from the three vehicles totaled 50 master cases with an estimated market value of P2 million. The drivers were brought to the Munai Municipal Police Station for proper disposition. The confiscated cigarettes and the vehicles used in transporting the contraband are currently under the custody of the 1st Provincial Mobile Forces Company pending turnover to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for appropriate action and further investigation.
Sua commended the operating units for the successful law enforcement operation. “This successful interdiction underscores the effectiveness of our intensified checkpoint operations and inter-agency collaboration in preventing the entry and distribution of smuggled goods in Lanao del Norte,” Sua said. “We remain steadfast in enforcing the law and protecting legitimate commerce against illicit trade,” he added.
Second Apprehension on Same Day
The confiscation of the P2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes was the second apprehension by Lanao del Norte policemen on Saturday, May 23. The first operation occurred around 12:30 a.m. Saturday in Purok 1, Bansarvil-1 village, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, resulting in the arrest of two individuals and the confiscation of P600,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes.
