Oplan: Megashopper nets nearly P2-M smuggled cigar, mosquito coils
AN estimated P2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and mosquito coils were seized by agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group this week amid their intensified enforcement of the CIDG Oplan: Megashopper aimed at arresting economic saboteurs, the Journal Group learned yesterday.
PNP-CIDG director Maj. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. said that a 53-year-old Chinese businessman identified as Shi Yun Chung alias “Shi Zhen Cong” was arrested during an entrapment operation in Bgy. Sta. Rosa in Marilao, Bulacan.
In a report to PNP chief Gen. Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., the official said that members of the CIDG Regional Field Unit 3 and the Bulacan CIDG Provincial Field Unit placed the Chinese trader under arrest during the sting they hatched, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration, last Monday afternoon.
Recovered from the suspect were 2,050 boxes of unregistered “Wawang” mosquito coils valued at around P1.435 million.
The suspect is facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009, RA 7339 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines and RA 10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013.
In Central Luzon, local CIDG officers arrested six men and confiscated nearly P400,000 worth of various smuggled cigarettes and expired food products being sold in the market last Tuesday.
Arrested for conspiring to sell an estimated P307,000 worth of smuggled cigaretes in Nueva Ecija were Lilia Cajucom, 63; Danilo Cabildo, 51; Apple Abia, 32; Thalia Abiog, 32; and James Gaoa, 29.
Confiscated from the five were more than 600 reams of smuggled Dunston Blue, Two Moon, Carnival, HP, D & B, Marlboro Red, RDG, Journey Red, Modern White and Golden Bridge Red cigarettes.
In Pampanga, local CIDG officers arrested 47-year-old Loreta Galino for selling expired food products. The suspect yielded around P30,000 worth of already expired Tang Powder Juice, Oreo Biscuits, Homi Cup Noodles, Toblerone Chocolate, Eden Cheese and Cheez Whiz Bottle Spread, said the CIDG Pampanga PFU.
The suspect will be facing charges for violation of the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
“Ang CIDG ay patuloy sa kampanya nito laban sa smuggling, counterfeit and expired na mga produkto na sumisira sa ating ekonomiya at maaring magdala ng panganib sa ating kalusugan. We will definitely go after them and carry out the directives based on the law,” Caramat said.
