In a bold move by criminal syndicates, the Philippine National Police (PNP) intercepted 7,550 reams of smuggled cigarettes worth P6.46 million concealed inside a cement mixer truck during a checkpoint operation on 17 March.

PNP Chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., said the truck, flagged down around 9:30 a.m. in Sitio Marayag, Barangay Bayanga Norte, aroused suspicion when operatives noticed irregularities in its cargo compartment. A thorough inspection revealed the contraband hidden inside the mixer drum.

“The use of a cement mixer truck as a ‘front’ shows a high level of sophistication,” Nartatez said. “This is clearly the work of an organized group attempting to bypass our checkpoints through deceptive means.”

The 30-year-old driver and 20-year-old helper, both residents of Zamboanga City, were arrested. They failed to present any documentation for the cargo.

Authorities are investigating the origin and distribution network behind the seized cigarettes. “Our intelligence units are tracing the paper trail and transit routes. We are not ruling out a centralized network supplying Mindanao, Luzon and Visayas,” Nartatez added.

The operation highlights the ingenuity of smuggling syndicates and the PNP’s commitment to intercept them. “Criminal groups are always thinking of ways to outsmart us, but the PNP will always find ways to bust them. I commend the operating unit in Maguindanao del Norte for uncovering this modus,” the PNP chief said.

This seizure forms part of the national government’s crackdown on illegal tobacco, following directives from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

A follow-up investigation is underway to locate warehouses or ports of origin, particularly in western Mindanao, while surveillance continues along known smuggling routes. The truck, suspects, and confiscated cigarettes remain in police custody as authorities work to dismantle the network behind the operation.

Nartatez urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious cargo movements, emphasizing that even sophisticated smuggling attempts will not escape police scrutiny.