By Ariel Avedaño
GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — A huge volume of fake cigaŕettes along with manufacturing machines, devices and other gadgets valued at around P200 million were uncovered in a raid at a factory in this city last Friday.
(BOC / MANILA BULLETIN)
Police disclosed Tuesday that joint operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the city police, and the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company raided the cigarettes factory on Valmonte Street, Barangay. Pambuan, here, around 7:30 p.m. Friday.
No less than Mayor Emerson Pascual and Atty. Antonio Beado, Jr. led the raiding team that discovered the fake cigarettes (Marvel, Fortune and Jackpot) following intelligence report on the clandestine operations of the factory.
Chen Yimin, a Chinese national, was held for questioning while another Chinese national John Christian Sia who was also the subject of inquiry, was not around at the time of the raid.
At least 16 male and a female Chinese workers were also rounded up while in the act of processing of fake cigarettes.