Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga – Two rice mills in Orion, Bataan believed to be utilized as warehouses of fake cigarettes were raided by authorities on Saturday and were able to confiscate P30 million worth of counterfeit and cigarette making machines.
Investigation showed that joint personnel of Bataan PPO 2nd PMFC and Orion MPS, with members of the Bureau of Customs and member of Japanese Tobacco Inc., armed with Letter of Authority – Power to Inspect and Visit for Violations of Chapter 3 Sec 224 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, swooped down at Crisostomo Rice Mill Warehouse located at Camino Road, Brgy Sto. Domingo, Orion, Bataan to implement said Letter of Authority which resulted in the discovery of pieces of cigarette making machines and raw materials worth more or less P20 million.
Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director PBGen. Valeriano De Leon said, a follow-up operation was conducted by same team at EBG Rice Mill Warehouse located at National Road, Barangay Balagtas, Orion, Bataan owned by a certain Eric Sioson of Balanga City, Bataan and rented by Tony Vargas of #1127 Mabini St., Malate, Manila which resulted in the discovery of undetermined quantity of imported sacks of rice and master cases of counterfeit different brand of cigarettes (Winston red, Marvles green, Shuang XI red, Seven Stars, Jack pot, D & B and Marvels red) with an estimated value of more or less P10 million.
Both operations are related to the previous operation of Limay Municipal Police Station wherein voluminous fake cigarettes were intercepted during a checkpoint operation.
De Leon lauded the operating team and said that joint law enforcement and concerned agencies are working together to rid all kinds of lawlessness in the region.
