Authorities confiscated an estimated ₱144,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and arrested a suspected distributor during an entrapment operation conducted in Barangay Kodia, Madridejos on May 7, 2026.
The intelligence-driven operation was carried out by operatives of the Madridejos Municipal Police Station in coordination with the Regional Intelligence Unit-7, resulting in the arrest of a 20-year-old male for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10643, a law requiring tobacco products to bear graphic health warnings, tax stamps, and other mandatory government markings.
Police authorities withheld the identity of the suspect in compliance with standard reporting protocols.
Seized during the operation were several master cases of “Newboss Menthol” cigarettes, including the cigarettes sold during the entrapment and additional stocks allegedly intended for distribution to various retail stores. Authorities said the cigarette products reportedly originated from Cebu City and were being distributed to small stores across several barangays on Bantayan Island.
According to police investigators, the operation stemmed from continuous intelligence monitoring and information validation regarding the alleged illegal distribution of cigarette products lacking the required government markings and health warnings.
The arrested suspect is currently under police custody while appropriate charges are being prepared for filing in court. Authorities also continue monitoring operations to identify other individuals possibly involved in the illegal cigarette trade.
PCOL Abubakar Udang Mangelen Jr. commended the operating personnel for the successful conduct of the operation and reiterated the police force’s intensified campaign against illegal business and smuggling activities within Cebu Province.
| Courtesy: PNP Cebu Police Provincial Office/FB
Comments