P8.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes seized from Chinese suspect in General Santos City

July 7, 2020

Authorities on Monday seized P8.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes from a Chinese suspect in General Santos City.

 Lt. Colonel Lino Capellan, regional police spokesman, said police conducted an entrapment operation against Zai Tian Shi at Barangay City Heights around 9:25 pm.

“Police poseur buyer was able to buy from the suspect five reams of Gudang Baru cigarettes for the amount of P3,000. Right after the transaction was made, operatives then immediately arrested the suspect,” Capellan said.

Aside from the five reams of cigarettes, 271 boxes of alleged counterfeit mighty cigarettes with an estimated market value of P8.9 million were confiscated by police.

Recovered also from the Chinese suspect were four heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu.

The alleged suspect is under the custody of General Santos City Police Station 4 and will be facing multiple charges in violation of Custom and Tariff Administration, Intellectual Property Rights, Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law and the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Ella Dionisio/DMS