Three container vans loaded with suspected fake cigarettes were intercepted by elements of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) yesterday morning in Cebu and Tacloban.
According to Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Chief Col. Neil Estrella, the alleged fake Mighty cigarettes came from Manila and were initially unloaded first delivery in Tacloban that gave authorities an opportunity to conduct further surveillance.
“The shipment was from Manila bound for Cebu and Tacloban. Unang nagbaba sa Tacloban so sinundan ng intelligence unit natin ito hanggang sa ma-intercept sa Cebu,” said Estrella.
Estrella said their latest operation is a follow up to their earlier raid inside the supposed Mighty cigarette warehouse in Pampanga last weekend were billions of cigarettes worth around P2 billion were confiscated.
Mighty Corp. executives, however, denied allegations regarding their product by releasing a statement saying they are not in the business of producing fake cigarettes.
Still, authorities went on with their operation after learning about the continued shipment despite the raid in Pampanga.
Based on initial testing, the seized products were found to have fake stamp tax, personnel from the Bureau of Internal Revenue said.
“I believe may mga hinahanap pa rin sa ngayon, Mighty rin yung hinahanap (I believe we are still looking for more),” Estrella said.
It was learned that the Intelligence Group of the BOC is in the process of gathering all relevant evidence for submission to the bureau’s Legal Service to build a case against those behind the importation of the large number of counterfeit cigarettes recently seized during raids. (BETHEENA KAE UNITE)
