The two separate operations that led to the confiscation of more than P2.6 billion worth of smuggled tobacco products in Malabon and Batangas City are proof of police active role in running after smuggling syndicates operating in the country, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said as it starts investigating then possible wider network operating across regions.

Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. said the scale of the recent seizures reflects the nature of the smuggling threat facing the country.

“These are not isolated or small-time operations as they involve warehouse-level storage, planned logistics, and significant capital, which point to the involvement of organized criminal groups,” said Nartatez.

“These two cases are serious offenses. We will exhaust all the measures to identify those responsible, we will get to the bottom of this case,” he added.

Large-scale cigarette smuggling is often brushed off as a paperwork issue and police said it hurts legitimate businesses, reduces government revenue, and allows illegal operations to continue quietly.

The Batangas City operation on Dec. 31 yielded P1.1 billion worth of cigarettes while seized in Malabon the following day was around P1.5 billion worth of tobacco products. Three people were also arrested in Malabon.

Nartatez said the successful operations did not happen by chance as they were the result of steady patrol work, shared information, and close coordination among agencies.

Following the two operations, Nartatez has directed police units to determine whether the Malabon and Batangas cases are connected.

By widening the investigation, he said they aim to strengthen cases, tighten follow-up actions, and close the gaps that smuggling groups often exploit by spreading their activities across different locations.