THE Calabarzon regional office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested two suspects and confiscated P1.2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in market value during an entrapment operation in Sto. Tomas City, Batangas, last January 23.
Calabarzon NBI regional director, Atty. Olivo Ramos, said they carried out the operation in line with the directive of NBI chief, Judge Jaime Santiago, to intensify the campaign against the proliferation of illicit and smuggled cigarettes in the country.
Ramos said he immediately instructed Special Agent (SA) Edgardo Baldemos and the NBI’s Batangas District Office to come up with a plan to entrap the suspects on receiving information that some persons are selling illicit cigarettes in the province.
Thru their assets, the NBI team, also composing of Special Investigator (SI) Larry Dominguez, Denver Louie Cabaluna, and Agents Marvin Gangano and Norberto Pinmiliw, managed to arrange the delivery of the cigarettes at an agreed place in Sto. Tomas in exchange for P480,000.00.
Ramos identified the arrested suspects as Angelo Bacarisas Azur and Argie Cuello Garcia, both of legal age.
A total of 20 master cases of ‘Carnival’ brand cigarettes consisting of 10,000 packs were recovered by the NBI, along with the ‘boodle’ money used during the operation.
Ramos said a case for violation of RA 12022 or the ‘Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Sabotage Act of 2024’ has been filed against Azur and Garcia before the Prosecutor’s Office in Sto. Tomas City, the next day.
He added they are conducting a follow up operation to determine the source of the smuggled cigarettes that were transported by the suspects “from Metro Manila” to Batangas.