By Freddie C. Velez
GUIGUINTO, Bulacan – The Central Luzon Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) uncovered a factory manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes in Barangay Tabe here yesterday.
A member of the raiding team, who do not want to be identified, said they coordinated with the local government and the Bureau of Fire Protection here prior to conducting an inspection of the place.
Mayor Ambrosio “Boy” Cruz Jr. also verified this in an interview.
He added, the CIDG operatives were able to secure a search warrant after the inspection to further their investigation.
CIDG operatives have since secured the said facility including the 70 workers they chanced upon inside.
They are now coordinating with the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regarding the machines they found in the facility including cigarette makers, packers and sealing equipment.
The team were also able to gather an undetermined number of finished goods bearing replicated logos of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp (MFTC) and Mighty, among others.
There were also boxes of counterfeit tax stamps; boxes of filter rods; empty master cases, filter papers, and other raw materials.
The factory is said to be owned by a Chinese national, who was not present during the inspection.