The CDO Police Office Station 10 turned over 50 boxes (2 master cases per box) of alleged smuggled cigarettes to the Bureau of Customs – Port of Cagayan de Oro on April 19, 2023.

According to PCapt. John Real Dela Cerna, Chief of Police Station 10 in Cugman, CDO, a delivery truck driver surrendered the cigarettes upon discovering that the boxes they were about to deliver from Zamboanga to Dasmariñas, Cavite contained cigarettes contrary to the declaration of the person who hired them that it contained motor parts and accessories.

They were supposed to be on board a RoRo (Roll on/Roll off) vessel in Surigao but decided to surrender the smuggled goods to the authorities.

The undocumented cigarettes totaling 4,802 reams or 48,020 packs were branded as “San Diego Menthol and Lights” and have an appraised value of 7.9 million pesos.

Police Captain John Dela Cerna, Chief, PS10 Cugman spearheaded the turn-over and witnessed by Oliver Valiente, Station Chief, CIIS CDO & Surigao Field Station; Special Area Supervisor Allan Cruz, Commander, ESS-CDO and Miguel Oscar Pizarro, Deputy Collector for Operations.

District Collector Alexandra Lumontad will issue a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the subject smuggled goods in violation of the RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) upon the recommendation of Enforcement Security Service (ESS-CDO) and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CISS CDO & Surigao).

The Bureau of Customs Port of Cagayan de Oro vowed to continue its coordination and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies to suppress all forms of smuggling through the guidance and support of BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio.

This is aligned with the economic agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect the business sector including the public from the harmful effect of consuming smuggled goods.#