TACLOBAN CITY -- A joint operation led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Eastern Visayas intercepted P3.25 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Brgy. Amandayehan, Basey, Samar, on Tuesday, 4 August 2026.

The Police Regional Office-8 said the operation recovered 50 master cases of "Canon Menthol" cigarettes worth P3.25 million.

The intercepted cigarettes were believed to have been smuggled to the country since they did not have the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) excise tax stamps and graphic health warnings on its label that are mandatory for locally manufactured and imported cigarettes in compliance to the Republic Act No. 10643, also known as the Graphic Health Warnings Law.

The operation resulted in the arrest of alias “Dev,” a 38-year-old male driver from Guiuan, Eastern Samar; alias “May,” a 29-year-old unemployed female; and alias “Rod,” a 42-year-old male driver, both residents of Basey, Samar, who were caught in possession of the contraband.

The operatives also confiscated the buy-bust money used in transacting with the suspects, two mobile phones, and three transport vehicles allegedly used in the illegal activity—an Isuzu utility vehicle, a Toyota HiAce van, and a Suzuki Traviz utility vehicle.

The suspects were brought to the CIDG Tacloban City Field Unit for documentation and proper disposition.

Appropriate charges for violations of Republic Act No. 10643 (Graphic Health Warnings Law), Republic Act No. 8424, as amended by Republic Act No. 11346 (National Internal Revenue Code provisions on excise taxes), and Republic Act No. 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines), are being prepared for filing against the suspects.