SOURCE: RPIO PRO10
CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan de Oro City โ Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10) confiscated an estimated PhP20 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested eight suspects in an early morning in Manticao, Misamis Oriental on June 21, 2025.
The operation was conducted at around 2:15 a.m. by the Manticao Municipal Police Station after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen about the unloading of contraband items from a fishing vessel, locally known as a kompit, in Purok 1, Brgy. Punta Silum, Manticao, Misamis Oriental.
Responding personnel caught the suspects red-handed as they were unloading and stacking boxes of cigarettes along the seawall. A follow-up search led to the discovery of more contraband inside a truck van parked near the scene.
Police identified the arrested individuals by their aliases: “Tango”, 42, of Maloso, Basilan; “Blitz”, 18; “Razor”, 23; and “Echo”, 19 โ all residents of Punta Silum, Manticao; “Falcon”, 23, of Arena, Zamboanga City; “Bravo”, 56, and “Ridge”, 23, of Baliwasan, Zamboanga City; and “Hawk”, 34, of Barangay Luinab, Iligan City.
Seized during the operation were around 500 cases of Red Delta brand cigarettes, along with the fishing vessel and delivery truck used in transporting the goods.
Accordingly, the smuggled cigarettes allegedly came from Basilan and were transported to Manticao, Misamis Oriental via sea using the intercepted fishing vessel.
The arrested suspects and confiscated items are now under the custody of the Manticao Municipal Police Station and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for proper disposition. Charges for violation of R.A. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), R.A. 10643 (Graphic Health Warning Law), and R.A. 12022 (Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act) will be filed against them.
PBGEN ROLINDO M SUGUILON, Regional Director, PRO10, praised the swift action of his personnel, highlighting the importance of sustained border security operations in curbing smuggling activities in Northern Mindanao.
โThis successful operation is a clear demonstration of our continued efforts to secure our borders and uphold the law. I commend the operating units for a job well done. Let us remain steadfast in our mission to protect the public from the dangers of illicit trade,โ he said.
