PNP to file charges vs. cop linked to P1.28M cigarette smuggling

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered the immediate filing of administrative and criminal charges against a Camp Crame police officer arrested for allegedly transporting P1.285 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

Nartatez also directed concerned units to place the officer under restrictive custody while investigators complete the case buildup and await the Bureau of Customs' assessment of the seized items.

The officer was arrested during a checkpoint operation in Barangay Tiguma after intelligence reports prompted authorities to inspect the vehicle. Police recovered 251 reams of New Berlin cigarettes with an estimated market value of P1.285 million.

The Bureau of Customs assisted in the inventory and assessment of the confiscated goods.

"The arrest demonstrates that no one is above the law," Nartatez said, adding that police personnel involved in illegal activities will face both administrative and criminal liability regardless of rank or assignment.

The suspect remains in police custody pending the filing of appropriate charges.