Fifty (50) boxes of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth more or less Seven Hundred Thousand Pesos (P700,000.00) were seized in a joint follow-up operation by operatives of PIU/Intel, Gen. Natividad Police Station and Regional Investigation Division of Regional Revenue 4, yesterday afternoon, November 6.
PBGEN DE LEON also said that a follow-up operation was conducted by the operating team in a warehouse at Barangay Kabulihan, General Natividad, Nueva Ecija owned by ice dealer which resulted in the confiscation of fifty (50) boxes of assorted Two Moon cigarettes without BIR stamps, amounting to more or less Php 700,000, based on the estimate conducted by Regional Revenue 4.
Prior to this, on November 5, 2020, authorities arrested ANTONIO BAUTISTA y Villena, ice dealer, resident of Barangay Kabulihan, General Natividad, Nueva Ecija and brother of abovementioned suspect in Brgy. Platero, General Natividad, Nueva Ecija wherein 25 packs of Two Moon Red Star and 7 packs Two Moon Blue Star cigarettes without pertinent permits and documents were seized from his possession.
The duo are now facing charges for violation of Tobacco Act of 2003 (RA 9211) and Sections 258 and 263 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) as amended.
The Central Luzon top cop added that the Philippine National Police- Police Regional Office 3 along with other government agencies are intensifying its monitoring to prevent the entry and proliferation of contrabands in the region. (CRIS PALARCA)
