Authorities intercepted an estimated P70 million to P80 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes abandoned near the Cebu Port Authority area in North Reclamation, Pier 4, Cebu City.
Operation Details
According to Captain Jerome Lozada of the Philippine Coast Guard, the operation began after operatives received a report on May 11, 2026 about a suspected illegal shipment. Coast Guard personnel monitored the area for hours and later spotted two trucks carrying container vans leaving Pier 7 around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
The trucks allegedly detached the containers and fled, leaving the vans abandoned along the roadside. Initial inspection conducted in coordination with the Bureau of Customs found at least 466 boxes of cigarettes inside one of the 20-foot containers, while counting in the second 40-foot container remains ongoing.
“We are still conducting an investigation to determine where the cargo came from and where it was supposed to be delivered,” Lozada said.
