Fake cigarettes seized in GenSan market

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Police authorities seized some R2 million worth of smuggled and fake cigarette products during simultaneous raids conducted on Thursday at the public market here.

Sr. Supt. Raul Supiter, city police director, said police intelligence operatives swooped down on several stalls and stock rooms at the public market, following information that smuggled and fake cigarettes have been proliferating at the city’s public market.

He said the raid at the public market was made following a series of raids at warehouses and seizure of fake and smuggled cigarette products the past weeks in the city and nearby Polomolok, South Cotabato.

He said investigation showed that the fake and cigarette products were sourced out from the public market here.

At least five people had been charged for violating Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Intellectual Property Rights in connection with the sale and distribution of fake and smuggled cigarette items.

Police said it was closely monitoring a local syndicate involved in the smuggling of fake and imported cigarette products in the city.

Customs collector Angelito Agulto asked the local police to turn over the smuggled cigarette products to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.