TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- Authorities in Cagayan seized thousands worth of fake cigarettes in port in northern part of the province.
Police Senior Superintendent Chevalier Iringan, information officer of the Cagayan Valley regional police unit, on Monday, July 10, said joint forces of local police and coast guard seized a “fresh” shipment of fake cigarettes in a port in Barangay Taggat Sur in Claveria town.
The fake cigarettes were allegedly transported from Calayan Island to mainland Cagayan via M/B Djay boat owned by certain Melvin Duerme.
Iringan said they confiscated five boxes of illegal goods, estimated to be worth P50,000.
The boxes contained five assorted fake cigarettes such as: 12 reams of Marlboro lights; 17 reams of Marlboro red; 147 reams of Marvel red; 3 reams of Mighty red, and 32 reams of Mighty green.
Three suspects named Algen Lopez, 25, Mike Tudla, 33 and George Erojo, 37, were arrested by police. All of them are from Nueva Ecija Province.
“[The police] will not allow these smuggled goods to reach the local market without being certified as safe by concerned government agencies because it could pose health risks to the public. We will conduct thorough investigation on the people behind this smuggling activity and file appropriate charges against them in court,” Cagayan Valley regional police chief Robert Quenery said. Northernforum.net
