Operatives inventory seized contraband. Photo courtesy of BOC-Limay
LIMAY, Bataan — Operatives from the Bureau of Customs-Port of Limay here and local police swooped down in two areas in Orion town Monday night and confiscated suspected smuggled cigarettes worth several millions of pesos.
Atty. William Balayo, BOC-Limay district collector, on Tuesday said seized from a store and a farm resort in Barangay San Vicente, Orion were 506 master cases of different brands of smuggled/illicit cigarettes worth more than P10 million.
He said that the seized cigarettes from the store comprised 18 master cases and while the farm resort yielded 488 master cases, all bearing 25 brands.
“Ang mga nasabing sigarilyo ay pinaghihinalaang smuggled at peke at ang pagpasok nito sa Pilipinas ay isang paglabag sa Customs Modernization and Tariff Act,” Balayo, also a certified public accountant, said.
Customs operatives served the letter of authority issued by BOC commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to the owners of the establishments. Prior to the implementation of the LOA, coordination was made with the local authorities of Barangay San Vicente, the district collector said.
Members of the Orion municipal police station headed by Major Jeffrey Onde assisted in the operation.
“Nakikiusap kami sa mga mamamayan ng Bataan na huwag magtangkilik ng peke o smuggled na sigarilyo sapagka’t hindi natin alam kung anong mga nakakalasong kemikal o sub-standard na sangkap ang ginamit sa paggawa nito,” Balayo appealed.
The owners of the establishments face cases for smuggling and violation of the Intellectual Property Code, the district collector said.
