The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it is monitoring the smuggling and sale of “Thuoc Lao,” or black cigarettes, amid a series of recent operations against illegal tobacco products.

PNP chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police units have intensified intelligence-gathering efforts in coordination with the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Health following reports that the product has entered the country.

“We have seen the effects of this black cigarette and it is alarming. We are working closely with other law enforcement agencies to prevent its entry and proliferation in the country,”  he said.

Authorities said Thuoc Lao is a highly potent tobacco product originating from Northern Vietnam. Its nicotine content can reach up to nine percent, significantly higher than the one to three percent typically found in regular cigarettes. Some variants are also suspected to contain synthetic cannabinoids.

Health and police officials raised concern after incidents in which teenagers reportedly experienced seizure-like symptoms, including involuntary twitching and body jerks, after smoking the product. 

The National Tobacco Administration has not authorized Thuoc Lao for importation or sale in the Philippines.

Law enforcement agencies have reported multiple seizures of the contraband. In a recent operation in Bacoor City, Cavinti, three individuals were arrested for allegedly selling Thuoc Lao, locally referred to as “tuklaw” or black cigarettes.

Nartatez said the PNP is strengthening border patrols and maritime operations to prevent the entry of undocumented tobacco products from neighboring countries.

Earlier, police intercepted a boat carrying 332 master cases of undocumented cigarettes valued at an estimated P21.25 million off Manalipa Island in Zamboanga City on 6 January. 

Three suspects were arrested after failing to present proper documentation for the cargo.

The PNP is also examining possible links between the Zamboanga seizure and earlier operations that resulted in the confiscation of P1.1 billion worth of cigarettes in Batangas City on 31 December and another P1.5 billion worth in Malabon City on 1 January.

Nartatez said police validation and intelligence-sharing efforts are ongoing, including coordination with foreign counterparts, to determine the source of the smuggled cigarettes and identify those involved in the smuggling network.