OPERATIVES of the Police Regional Office 11 and the Bureau of Customs on Monday arrested three suspects and seized some P3.6 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in an anti-smuggling operation in Davao City.
PRO11 director Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Silo Jr. identified the arrested suspects as Danny Sala, a 50-year – old resident of Davao del Norte; Sharif Lepail, 35, of Zamboanga City; and Abdulpatta Sarabi, 31, of Toril District, Davao City are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Recovered during the sting were 183 boxes of suspected smuggled red Marvel, Winsboro, Rasean, U2 Menthol, red YS, Welson Menthol, Twins, Walton Red, Bross Menthol and Globe Menthol cigarettes.
The suspects were arrested after they conspired to sell the cigarette products to an undercover officer.
Also recovered from the suspects was the buy-bust money topped by a marked P1,000 bill.
The seized cigarettes were turned over to the BOC for proper disposition while the suspects were brought to the Toril Police
Station for filing of formal charges.