P70 million illegal cigarettes seized in Pampanga

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February 18, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Suspected illegaly manufactured cigarettes worth P70 million were seized on Monday following a raid in Pampanga on another warehouse, the fourth to be discovered by authorities this month.

The discovery of the warehouse in Barangay San Pablo Libutad in San Simon town was based on information provided by a concerned citizen, who notified police after having watched a press conference held by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla about the raid on three illegal tobacco facilities.

A few hours after the news conference, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the PNP received a call from the informant, who told them about the existence of a similar facility in Golden Sun 999 Business Park.

Nartatez dispatched members of the police Criminal Detection and Investigation Group, who confirmed the presence of illicit cigarettes in the warehouse.

The raiding team seized 1,192 master cases of assorted cigarette brands.

No one was arrested in the raid.

The PNP has yet to confirm if the factory is related to three warehouses that were earlier discovered in San Simon, Mexico and San Fernando.

The raid on the warehouses on Feb. 11, 13 and 14 resulted in the seizure of P275 million worth of tobacco products and equipment used for manufacturing cigarettes.

Remulla said two incumbent congressmen from Central Luzon are being investigated for being the alleged masterminds behind illegal cigarette factories in the country.

He declined to name the congressmen, citing case buildup still being conducted by police.

The congressmen have been placed under surveillance after a person linked to them attempted to bribe members of the Highway Patrol Group who seized tobacco products worth millions of pesos.

“So far, that’s the only link we have on them, and we are not sure if this is sufficient to have them convicted in court,” Remulla said.

The congressmen reportedly tried to meet with Remulla through an emissary, but he rejected their request.

P188 million seized cigarettes destroyed

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday destroyed 4,360 master cases of illicit cigarettes valued at P188 million, which were seized in separate operations in Northern Mindanao.

The contraband was destroyed at the compound of the Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

The ceremony was witnessed by BOC Deputy Commissioner Romeo Allan Rosales along with members of different law enforcement units as well as the military.

Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano of the second district of Misamis Oriental described the volume of confiscated contraband as unprecedented and among the largest in the country.

Rosales warned people and groups involved in the illicit cigarette trade noting the bureau would continue pursuing violators.

The destruction of the contraband was part of the celebration of the BOC’s 50th anniversary. — Gerry Lee Gorit