Over P3M worth of smuggled fake cigarettes seized in CL
OVER P3 million worth of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes were seized by operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in separate operations in Central Luzon this week, PNP-CIDG director Major General Albert Ignatius D. Ferro said on Saturday.
CIDG Region 3 chief Col. Norberto Delmas said the suspect – Richard Dimla, 32, of Bgy. San Pablo, Jaen, Nueva Ecija – was arrested and at least P3 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes were seized from him in a buy-bust in Pampanga.
Delmas said agents of CIDG Pampanga conducted an entrapment at Don Ignacio Dimson, Dau 2nd, Lubao against Dimla, who yielded 700 reams of Union cigarette; 336 reams of Mighty Green; 399 reams and nine packs of Marvel cigarette; 358 reams and five packs of Two Moon cigarette; 579 reams D&B cigarette; 104 reams of Marlboro Red in hard pack; 55 reams of RGD Red in hard pack; 2,200 reams of Fort cigarette; and 270 reams of Nanjing cigarette worth at least P3 million.
Ferro said another suspect identified as Flordeliza del Prado, 60, was arrested while in the act of selling the suspected fake cigar products in Purok Quezon, Esguerra Street in Talavera, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday.
Del Prado’s white Isuzu Elf van was impounded after it yielded 464 reams of assorted cigarettes. The suspect also was found in possession of the marked money paid to him by an undercover officer during the sting.
Members of the CIDG Nueva Ecija and Aurora Provincial Field Units launched the operations with the help of the Regional Special Operations Group of the Police Regional Office 3 under Brigadier Gen. Valeriano T. de Leon.
The recovered pieces of evidence were inventoried by the PNP-CIDG in the presence of witnesses from local barangays and representatives from the Intellectual Property Office and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Ferro said the suspects are now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. By ALFRED DALIZON & BERNARD GALANG
