DAVAO CITY — Police authorities in General Santos City confiscated around PHP8.9 million worth of smuggled and fake cigarettes from Indonesia in an entrapment operation in a village on Monday night.
Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 director on Tuesday said the contraband was seized from a Chinese national identified as Zai Tian Shi, the main target of the operation, around 9:25 p.m. in a house along Jerusalem Street, Oringo Subdivision in Barangay City Heights.
Dubria said joint elements from the PRO-12 and the city police office launched the entrapment following reports that smuggled cigarettes were sold at the suspect’s rented house.
A police who posed as poseur buyer bought five (5) reams of Gudang Baru cigarettes for the amount three thousand pesos (Php 3000).
Confiscated from the suspect’s house were five (5) reams of Gudang Baru cigarettes and two hundred seventy-one (271) boxes of fake mighty cigarettes with an estimated market value of P8.9million pesos.
Authorities also confiscated five hundred thirteen thousand four hundred pesos (P513,400) cash and four (4) heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu.
Dubria said police investigators are currently preparing multiple charges against the suspect.
Shi who is now under the custody of GSCPO, Police Station 4 will be charged for violating Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, RA 2893 or the Intellectual Property Rights Law, Section 76 of RA 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN law and Section 11, Article II of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Dubria said the latest accomplishment was in line with the PRO-12’s enhanced campaign “against all forms of criminalities” as directed by Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa.
“It is very disappointing that these illegal activities have persisted even amid the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic,” he said.
Dubria assured that intensified crackdown will continue and police intelligence units were continually monitoring similar illegal activities in the entire Soccsksargen.
Indonesia is just a boat away from General Santos City. –Newsline
