TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija – Checkpoint operatives intercepted four tricycle-riding men and arrested them for transporting suspected counterfeit cigarettes worth P23,100 during an operation on Friday afternoon.
One of the arrested was also caught in possession of shabu worth P6,800, said police head Lt. Col. Rogelio L. Pacificar Jr..
The operation was conducted amid the series of successful raids recently made by government agencies against fake cigarettes across the country that resulted in the seizure of several millions in pesos worth of counterfeit products and tobacco-making equipment.
In a report to Nueva Ecija top cop Col. Heryl L. Bruno, the checkpoint operation was conducted in Bgy. Kinalanguyan at 2 p.m. on Friday.
The four nabbed suspects were identified as alias “Boy,” alias “Joel,” 35, both of Bgy. Amistad, Alicia, Isabela; alias “Jerome,” 36, of Bgy. Calao East, Santiago, Isabela, and alias “Jessie,” 23, of Purok Garcia, Bgy. Esguerra, this town.
Pacificar said his men were conducting checkpoint operations when a red Bajaj Kawasaki tricycle with four men on board was flagged down for routine inspection.
However, lawmen immediately noticed a cigarette box in plain view and during verification, it was found to contain suspected fake cigarettes, resulting in the arrest of the suspects.
Seized were two boxes of Carnival cigarettes worth P23,100 while a plastic sachet containing shabu was recovered from alias “Boy.”
The arrested suspects and the confiscated pieces of evidence were taken to the police station for proper disposition.
“The Talavera police station continues its fight against illegal drugs and counterfeit products to ensure a safe and peaceful community in adherence to the directives of Col. Bruno and Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr.,” Pacificar said.
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