A pre-dawn checkpoint in Lanao del Sur on 14 February 2025 led to a pursuit and the seizure of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at more than P1.4 million.

At about 4:50 a.m., personnel conducting a checkpoint at Barangay Porug, Pualas, noticed six vehicles suddenly turn around and flee. Officers pursued the vehicles, and the chase ended in Barangay Matling, Malabang.

A navy blue Toyota Revo was intercepted in Barangay Matling. The male driver abandoned the vehicle and remains at large. Authorities discovered 1,670 reams of assorted branded cigarettes inside the vehicle, with an estimated market value of P1,427,850.

The vehicle and contraband are in the custody of the Malabang Municipal Police Station for documentation and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs. Authorities are continuing efforts to locate the fleeing suspect.

The operation involved coordination between the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, Malabang Municipal Police Station, Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-BAR.