BACOLOD CITY – Police confiscated 77 reams of illicit cigarettes valued at P51,000 from a vendor in a buy-bust operation in a public market in Barangay 1, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Saturday, Feb. 1.

A 20-year-old man and illicit cigarettes valued at P50,700 were seized in a buy-bust operation in a public market in Barangay 1, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Saturday, Feb. 1. (Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office)
The Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) identified the suspect as Mario, 20, of Barangay Carol-an, Kabankalan City.
Police Capt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental police, said that the suspect violated Section 1113(f) and Section 113 of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The suspect also yielded the P500 marked money.
The contraband is under the custody of the Kabankalan City Police Station pending verification and filing of a case against the suspect.