Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Tuesday commended police personnel involved in an anti-smuggling operation in Lanao del Sur that resulted in the seizure of P70 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and the arrest of 21 individuals.

Among those arrested during the 14 June operation in Barangay Liyangan, Picong were five minors, who were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for proper intervention.

"We continue to be relentless in this campaign to send a strong message that this illegal activity has no place in any part of the country. Our coordination and support system is also getting stronger both against smuggling and illegal production of cigarettes," Nartatez said.

The PNP chief cited the support of the Philippine Army, which assisted in the raids and secured the three sites where the contraband was discovered.

The operation, carried out under the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, stemmed from intelligence reports identifying storage facilities for smuggled cigarettes near the coastal area of Picong.

Joint police and military operatives raided the sites early on 14 June, catching the suspects by surprise after authorities sealed off the area based on an operational plan.

Authorities confiscated 1,800 master cases of Berlin, Cannon, Fort, Greenhill, Bosque and Modern brand cigarettes believed to have been smuggled into the country. An M14 rifle was also recovered from one of the makeshift warehouses.

Nartatez said follow-up operations are underway against at least four other individuals identified during the initial investigation.

"We are now preparing criminal charges against those arrested and all those who are involved in this illegal activity, including the owners of these makeshift storage areas," he said.

"I commend all our personnel who fearlessly worked hard to achieve this gain. Despite the serious security threat in the area, you persisted in working on the information that you obtained, which resulted in these successful operations."

The PNP chief added that billions of pesos worth of smuggled and illegally manufactured cigarettes, along with cigarette-making equipment, have been seized since he assumed the top police post. He vowed to sustain the campaign and further strengthen coordination with local communities, whose information has been instrumental in several successful anti-smuggling operations.