MORE than P4 million worth of smuggled cigarettes being sold and distributed in different parts of Western Mindanao have been seized this month by the Police Regional Office 9 (PRO9) amid the directive of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil to stepup the campaign against fake cigar products in the country.

Last week, 750 reams of imported Fort Menthol and 50 reams of Berlin Red cigarettes worth at least P402,000 were recovered by police and military authorities in Sitio Biha, Barangay Libertad in Tungawan, Zamboanga del Sur, said PRO9 director, Brigadier Gen. Bowenn Joey M. Masauding.

The cigarettes were abandoned by smugglers in a mangrove area in Bgy. Libertad where they were recovered, said the Western Mindanao police director.

Prior to that, PRO9 operatives also confiscated nearly P3.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in different parts of the province.

Brig. Gen. Masauding said that around P2 million worth of the banned cigar products were intercepted by members of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office, the PRO9 Regional Mobile Force Battalion and the PNP Maritime Group in Bgy. Sugod in Tukuran municipality.

He added that a group of men who were spotted unloading the contents of a motorized boat in the area scampered in different directions after noticing the approaching lawmen.

Recovered were 40 master cases and boxes of smuggled cigarettes valued at nearly P2.3 million.

A second operation in Bgy. Anonang, Aurora resulted in the recovery of 350 reams of Astro Red, 300 reams of Champion and 248 reams of New Berlin Red cigarettes worth around P1.1 million.

The third operation in the same area led to the arrest of a 42-year-old tricycle driver who yielded nearly P415,000 worth of New Far Red and White cigarettes .

Brig. Gen. Masauding said that all the recovered smuggled cigarettes were found without BIR tax stamp and graphic health warning signs. They were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.

The recovery of the multimillion-peso worth of contraband came in the wake of Gen. Marbil’s order for all police units nationwide to further step up their campaign against the smuggling and distribution of fake cigarettes in the country which really undermines the effort of the government to control tobacco consumption through proper taxation and regulation.

The top cop ordered all concerned police units to intensify the crackdown against fake and smuggled cigarettes saying the PNPis committed to eradicating the illicit cigarette trade that not only undermines government revenues but also poses serious health risks to the public.

“Our intensified efforts will include heightened surveillance, stricter border controls, and coordinated operations with other law enforcement agencies,” added the top cop as he cited an annual P25 billion government loss and the major risk it poses to public health.

Records showed that tobacco was the highest factor driving the most death and disability combined in the entire country since 2019.

However, the availability of counterfeit and smuggled cigarette products really undermines government efforts to control tobacco consumption through taxation and regulation and in particular erodes the effectiveness of anti-smoking campaigns and initiatives aimed at reducing smoking rates.

Officials said the illicit trading of cigarettes has become rampant in the country causing the government to lose billions in revenues that could have been allocated for its priority programs, particularly the provision of health facilities and services.

Gen. Marbil issued his anti-smuggling instructions amid reports that the national government is losing a staggering P25.5 billion every year due to the illicit trade of fake and smuggled cigarettes which also poses serious threats to the livelihood of local tobacco farmers and health risks to the public.

According to a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) report, the spread of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes contributed to a 15.9 percent decline in revenue in 2023, amounting to a P25.5 billion decrease from the previous year. From January to April this year alone, the BIR reported losses totaling P6.6 billion.

Last month, Gen. Marbil reported a series of successful operations resulting in the arrest of individuals involved in cigarette smuggling in various regions and significant contraband seizures in Sultan Kudarat, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga City, among others.

Recent operations in Mindanao led by the PRO9 have led in the recovery of illegal cigarettes valued at approximately P15 million.