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Cops seized P8.9 million fake cigarettes in General Santos City

Philippines | National

Cops seized P8.9 million fake cigarettes in General Santos City

By Aaron Recuenco

Police confiscated P8.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested a foreign businessman tagged as the one who smuggled the contraband to General Santos City.

Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, director of the Central Mindanao regional police, said the smuggled cigarettes turned out to be fake as confirmed by the representatives of cigarette companies manufacturing the products.

He identified the arrested Chinese as Zai Tian Shi.

Dubria said the operation stemmed from intelligence reports of the rampant selling of smuggled cigarettes in General Santos City which are sold lower than the price of the original ones. The operation was conducted at around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

“Our operatives sent a poseur buyer who was able to buy from the suspect five reams of Gudang Baru cigarettes for P3,000 Right after the transaction was made, operatives then immediately arrested the suspect,” said Dubria.

Seized from the suspects were 271 boxes of alleged counterfeit Mighty cigarettes with an estimated market value of P8.9 million and P513,400 cash believed to be payment for earlier transactions.

Dubria said his men also confiscated four sachets of suspected shabu.

The official said the arrested Chinese is now under the custody of General Santos City Police and is facing multiple charges such as violation of Republic Act 10863 (An Act Modernizing the Custom and Tariff Administration), Violation of RA 8293 (Intellectual Property Rights), Section 76 of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law (RA 10963) and Section 11 of RA 9165.

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