AUTHORITIES arrested three people and seized around P4.4 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes during a checkpoint operation in Malabang, Lanao del Sur early Saturday, June 6, 2026.
Personnel of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region flagged down three vehicles in Barangay Matling after initial validation showed they were traveling from Barangay Picong to Marawi City.
During inspection, police found in plain view several boxes and reams of assorted cigarette brands believed to have been brought into the country without proper authorization.
Confiscated from the vehicles were around 700 reams of cigarettes, 1,800 reams of menthol cigarettes, and 3,000 reams of another variant, with a combined estimated market value of P4.4 million.
The three suspects were placed under police custody and are undergoing documentation and legal processing. Authorities said appropriate charges will be filed in coordination with concerned government agencies.
The seized cigarettes were turned over to the Malabang Municipal Police Station for inventory and safekeeping before disposition with the Bureau of Customs.
PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. commended the operating units, saying the operation reflected the value of coordinated and intelligence-driven policing.
“This operation shows what disciplined coordination and intelligence-driven policing can achieve. We will continue to strengthen our presence on the ground to ensure that illegal activities are intercepted before they can harm our communities and our economy,” Nartatez said.
The PNP said the operation forms part of its continuing campaign against smuggling and illicit trade, as well as efforts to strengthen law enforcement visibility in communities.