ILOILO City – The Regional Maritime Unit 6 (RMU-6) confiscated a total of P4.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in 10 months of operations across Western Visayas.
Colonel Ervin John Provido, RMU-6 director, said from January to October this year, they conducted eight operations, two of which were joint operations with other government forces.
RMU-6 data showed that the seized items include 2,000 reams, 77 cases, nine boxes, and two packs of smuggled cigarettes.
The latest operation was on Tuesday, October 29, in Barangay San Juan, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.
Joint operatives of the Bacolod City Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA) under the leadership of Colonel Ervin Glenn Provido, chief of RMU-6) Philippine National Police’s Maritime Group 4th Special Operations Unit, Binalbagan Municipal Police Station, and the Bureau of Customs Region 6 recovered P2.3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes from two suspects.
The suspects identified as aliases “Zubair”, 42, and “Abdul”, 40, both residents of Barangay Progreso, Binalbagan, and “Nato”, 44, of Barangay 1, Isabela town, are now detained and face charges for violating Republic Act 10863, of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
“We will not stop running after these smugglers who are operating in our area,” said Provido./PN
