ALLEN, Northern Samar — Personnel of the Coast Guard Northern Samar, together with their CGK9 unit, intercepted seven (700) hundred reams of undocumented cigarettes while conducting random inspection of vehicles bound for Luzon Tuesday afternoon, February 20, at Santa Clara Port in this municipality.
The cigarettes were loaded into a closed aluminum van, a six-wheeler Elf, driven by Argie Labrador, 27, single, of Pasig City, with helper Baltazar Noceto, 29, single, of Santa Elena, Daet Camarines Norte, bearing plate number AKA-9661.
According to Lt. Junior Grade Byan Michael U. Tuyay, personnel from their station conducted a random paneling of vehicles bound for Luzon. When they asked the driver of the closed van to open the back door, they noticed several big packs (cartons). Upon opening one of the big packs, they discovered reams of cigarettes inside.
Coast Guard personnel immediately requested the driver to present the permit and other legal documents for the cargoes, but they could not provide, prompting the Coast Guard to seize and conduct an inventory of the intercepted items.
The intercepted cigarettes include 400 reams of Black Hawk Platinum Cigarettes, 200 reams of Platinum Cigarettes, and 100 reams of Canon Menthol Cigarettes, originating from Zamboanga City and bound for Oas, Albay.
The estimated value of the seized cigarettes is P1,200,000 million pesos. The Coast Guard Northern Samar is currently coordinating with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Region 8 for the necessary documentation, proper inventory, and handling of the seized items.
