TASK FORCE Davao soldiers apprehended two individuals and confiscated P4.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes at the Barangay Lacson checkpoint on Friday morning, March 22.
Suspects Edgar Cañas Benondo, 32, and Johnrey Sinoy, 30, both residents of Purok 2, Barangay Maraga-a, Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, were heading toward Davao City on a gray closed van with plate number NFK 8239.
During the inspection, soldiers, along with the Calinan police officers, found the contraband at the back of the van, including 150 boxes (containing 50 reams each) for a total of 7,500 reams. Brand details revealed a mix of 100 boxes of King Perfect and 50 boxes of New Berlin Menthol cigarettes.
Task Force Davao (TFD) commander Colonel Darren E. Comia commended the personnel manning the checkpoint.
“We received a tip from a concerned citizen regarding the illegal transport of these cigarettes, and our forces acted swiftly to intercept them,” he said.
Both suspects are under police custody as they face a charge of violating Republic Act 4712, also known as the “An Act Amending Certain Sections of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.”
Meanwhile, the illegal items were turned over to the Bureau of Internal Revenue XI.
