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800 cartons of smuggled cigarettes seized in Bulacan bust

Philippines | National

800 cartons of smuggled cigarettes seized in Bulacan bust

By Aaron Recuenco

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 19, two foreigners for selling fake cigarettes that were allegedly smuggled into the country.

CIDG director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro said the operation was conducted Barangay Bulihan, Plaridel, Bulacan based on the confirmed tip-off about the illegal activities of the two Chinese.

photo: CIDG

They were identified as Cai Shi Chuan, 39; and, Chen Peirong, 42; both from Fujian, China.

He said his men conducted a buy-bust at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday which resulted in the arrest of the two and the confiscation of 265 cartons of fake cigarettes and two delivery trucks, one of them has 535 more boxes of fake cigarettes inside. The seized items are worth P8 million.

photo: CIDG

"The investigation into the smuggling operation stemmed from a report of a confidential informant that the personalities caught in the buy-bust operation were involved in illegal selling and distribution of fake and smuggled cigarettes in the Bulacan area. After weeks of surveillance and casing operations, the operation was launched and completed successfully with the arrest of the suspects," said Ferro.

Charges of violation of Article 189 of the Revised Penal Code, R.A 7394 (The Consumer Act of the Philippines), R.A 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines), and R.A 1937 (An Act to Revise and Codify the Tariff and Custom Law of the Philippines) are now being readied for filing before the Malolos City, Bulacan Provincial Prosecutors Office.

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