Personnel 2nd SDN Provincial Mobile Force Company flagged down a vehicle carrying smuggled fake cigarettes with an estimated market value of ₱ 1,070,000.00 at Brgy. Gamuton, Alegria, Surigao del Norte, March 28, 2022.
Provincial Director Police Colonel Renato C Mercado revealed that while personnel was conducting checkpoint at the Border Control, they received an information from an anonymous person that a Suzuki multicab is carrying smuggled fake cigarettes. The vehicle was loaded with more or less 20 cartons of Champion cigarettes placed under of the 20 boxes/18kg of assorted dried fish covered by a trapal (Tent).
The driver was identified as Maradja Jumat Kimhar Hamsaji, 40 years old, married, businessman/whole seller and retailer of assorted dried fish, and a resident of P-2 Madasigon Kaskag, Brgy. Washington, Surigao City.
Immediately, said vehicle was brought to Alegria Municipal Police Station for further investigation. In coordination with the Bureau of Customs led by Randy C Ugay a verification has been conducted for the determination of the authenticity of the said contraband in the presence of Brgy. Captain Rafael M Salvacion of Gamuton, Alegria. It was found out that said cigarettes were locally manufactured with no Stamp tax mark or seal.
Violation of RA 7394 “Consumers Act of the Philippines, for Counterfeiting of Products and Illegal trading, “Unfair Competition” and RA 8290 sections 168 and 169 were filed against Hamsaji.
“I laud our troops for their immediate response to our citizen’s concern. Thus, we will remain wary against the entry of counterfeited smuggled goods which will take advantage of the government’s rightful revenues,” PD Mercado concluded.
(Source: Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office – SDN PPO Facebook page)