Camp BGen Vicente P. Lim Calamba City
– Operatives from the
Regional Special Operations Unit 4A (RSOU) in
Batangas and Laguna,
in collaboration with
the Balayan Municipal
Police Station, Batangas
Provincial Intelligence
Unit, and Bureau of
Internal Revenue successfully apprehended
five suspects and seized
₱10,500,000.00 worth of
illicit cigarettes in an operation against cigarette
smuggling in Balayan,
Batangas, on August 30,
2023.
Arrested individuals were identified as
Benigno Dalanon Alvarez, Modesto Guevarra
Eronico, Efren Guevarra
Eronico, Mark Joseph
Guevarra Cardinal, and
Kevin Renz Benedict
Eronico De Villa. They
were found in possession of 701 boxes of
New Orleans and H&P
cigarettes, categorized
as illicit whites by the
Bureau of Internal
Revenue. The seized
contraband is valued
at ₱10,500,000.00,
with a market price of
₱15,000.00 per box.
Additionally, buy-bust
money was also recovered.
This operation was
initiated in response
to the directive of Brig
Gen Carlito Gaces, the
Regional Director of the
Police Regional Office
CALABARZON emphasizing the need to combat various forms of
criminality in the CALABARZON area.
The arrested individuals have been
informed of their arrest and constitutional
rights. They are currently detained at the Balayan Municipal Police
Station Detention facility, awaiting charges related to violations of Sec
144, Sec 262, and 263
of the National Internal
Revenue Code (NIRC)
concerning cigarette
smuggling at the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Batangas
City.
Gaces affirmed that
the PRO CALABARZON
is resolute in its commitment to protect the interests of business investors and the Philippine
economy by eradicating
illegal activities such as
cigarette smuggling. He
stated, “Our mission is
clear, we serve as guardians of the law, dedicated to upholding the
integrity of trade, preventing financial losses,
and paving the path for
a safer, more prosperous
future for our region and
the nation. Rest assured,
we will spare no effort to
ensure that CALABARZON embodies order,
progress, and prosperity,” he added.(ROSELLE
AQUINO)