Manila: Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has announced a comprehensive investigation aimed at identifying and apprehending the financiers behind the large-scale cigarette smuggling operations within the country. This directive underscores the PNP's commitment to dismantling the financial networks supporting these illegal activities. According to Philippines News Agency, Nartatez emphasized the PNP's success in intercepting smuggled cigarettes through intelligence efforts, yet highlighted the necessity to delve deeper into identifying those funding these operations. The statement follows a significant interception by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Highway Patrol Group (HPG)-Metro Manila teams, who seized PHP516 million worth of illegal cigarettes on Friday. Nartatez noted previous operations where the PNP-HPG discovered PHP1.1 billion worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes during an anti-car theft operation in Batangas City on December 31, 2025. Addition ally, on the same day, a separate PNP-HPG team confiscated approximately PHP1.5 billion of suspected smuggled cigarettes at a dockyard in Malabon City. The PNP's efforts align with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to eliminate government corruption and enhance the national crackdown on illicit trade, which significantly impacts the economy by depleting vital tax revenue. Senate Finance Committee chair Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has also taken steps to address this issue by filing a resolution seeking an inquiry into reports of high-ranking security officers allegedly financing the illegal trade. Nartatez assured that the PNP would extend full cooperation to the Senate and other relevant authorities to curb smuggling activities, reinforcing the commitment to uphold law and order in the country.