Bayambang: Authorities have intercepted PHP1.4 million worth of illicit cigarettes in Bayambang, Pangasinan. In a phone interview on Saturday, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office information officer, Capt. Aileen Catugas, said operatives manning a checkpoint in Barangay Zone I flagged down a white Toyota Hi-Ace commuter van for routine inspection on April 17.
According to Philippines News Agency, an ocular search revealed multiple boxes of assorted cigarettes concealed inside the vehicle. Verification showed that the cigarette packs bore counterfeit Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps, indicating non-payment of excise taxes in violation of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended by the TRAIN Law, and the Graphic Health Warnings Law. No supporting transport or ownership documents were presented by the individuals involved.
Confiscated were 35 boxes containing 1,720 reams of assorted cigarettes, she added. Catugas said three suspects transporting the goods have been arrested. The items were properly marked and inventoried before being transferred to the Bayambang Municipal Police Station for appropriate legal proceedings.
Pangasinan Police Director, Col. Arbel Mercullo, reaffirmed the Pangasinan Police's commitment to sustained, intelligence-driven operations in safeguarding public welfare.
