NUEVA ECIJA — An alleged illegal tobacco processing warehouse operating without a business permit was raided by police in Carranglan town, leading to the arrest of five Chinese nationals and the rescue of two Filipino workers, authorities said.

The operation, conducted on the afternoon of 9 July in Barangay Joson, stemmed from a tip by a concerned resident who reported suspicious tobacco processing activities at the facility, according to the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office.

Personnel from the Carranglan Municipal Police Station immediately responded and discovered a large volume of unfinished dried tobacco leaves inside the warehouse.

Investigators also found that the establishment was operating without a valid business permit issued by the Carranglan local government.

The five Chinese nationals, all males, were arrested after they failed to present documents proving their identities and legal status in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, two Filipino laborers found inside the facility were rescued and placed under protective custody.

Authorities are coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to verify the immigration status of the foreign nationals. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit 3 have also joined the investigation to determine possible violations of tax, customs and other laws.

The National Tobacco Administration has likewise been tapped to assess the quantity and value of the seized tobacco products, as well as the processing equipment recovered from the site.

Police said the suspects will initially face charges for alleged violation of Republic Act 10364, or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, while investigators determine whether additional charges under immigration laws, local ordinances, and other applicable statutes should also be filed.

The raid forms part of the government’s continuing crackdown on illegal tobacco operations, which deprive the government of tax revenues and fuel the illicit tobacco trade.