CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY(March 27) — Authorities seized an estimated P3.2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes after a vehicle rammed through a police checkpoint and was later abandoned in Sultan Naga Dimaporo early Thursday, March 26.
Police Colonel Leo de Leon Sua said the incident began around 1:30 a.m. in Barangay Pandanan, when operatives from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) attempted to stop a truck with a visibly broken windshield during a routine inspection.
Under Republic Act No. 4136, operating a vehicle with such a defect is grounds for impoundment.
Instead of stopping, the driver sped through the checkpoint, triggering a police chase. Officers later found the vehicle abandoned along the roadside in Purok 6 of the same village.
Inside, authorities discovered 80 master cases of cigarettes, each valued at about P40,000 based on Bureau of Customs estimates.
The haul underscores the continuing challenge of cigarette smuggling in northern Mindanao, where porous coastal entry points and road networks have long been exploited by illicit traders. Despite repeated interceptions, enforcement agencies face difficulties in tracking syndicates, particularly when suspects abandon shipments before arrest.
Police said both the confiscated goods and the vehicle are now in the custody of the 2nd PMFC and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.
Authorities have yet to identify the driver or determine ownership of the shipment. An investigation is ongoing.
Sua said police will intensify checkpoint operations and coordination with other agencies to curb the flow of smuggled goods, while urging the public to report suspicious activities.
