CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan de Oro City—Police operatives confiscated 155 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at ₱124,000 during an enforcement operation at the public market in Zone 7, Poblacion, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, on Wednesday afternoon, August 19, 2026.
The joint operation was led by the Tracker Team of the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) under the Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office (MORPPO), in coordination with the Tagoloan Municipal Police Station (MPS) and the Tagoloan Rural Health Unit.
Acted upon verified intelligence regarding illegal tobacco distribution, law enforcers moved in at around 4:20 PM to clamp down on unauthorized vendors.
During the sweep, authorities apprehended a 30-year-old local vendor identified only by the alias “Jojo.”
Officers caught the suspect allegedly selling illicit tobacco products without the required permits and commercial documentation.
A total of 155 reams of illicit cigarettes were confiscated from the vendor’s stall, consisting of 96 reams of Modern cigarettes and 59 reams of Cannon cigarettes. The total seized inventory carries an estimated retail market value of ₱124,000.
Instead of immediate criminal charges, the vendor was issued Citation Ticket No. 0493 for violating the Municipal Tax Revenue Code.
Police officers transported the contraband to the Tagoloan MPS for formal inventory and documentation before turning the items over to the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Tagoloan for proper disposal.
Police Regional Office 10 (PRO 10) Regional Director PBGen. Christopher N. Abrahano commended the joint team for their vigilance, reiterating that the PNP will sustain aggressive crackdowns against contraband trade in Northern Mindanao.
“Our ongoing crackdowns send a clear message: illegal smuggled cigarettes have no place in our communities,” PBGen. Abrahano stated. “We are maximizing joint operations with local government units and regulatory partners to disrupt these networks and uphold the law.”
PRO 10 reaffirmed its commitment to curbing illicit trade across the region through tight coordination with local government units.
