₱720K cigarette bust highlights Bukidnon’s growing role in Northern Mindanao border security on NewsLine Philippines - Building Information Highway for the Community
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (January 13) — The seizure of ₱720,000 worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes at a Bukidnon border checkpoint this week underscores the province’s increasingly strategic role in blocking the movement of contraband across Northern Mindanao and neighboring regions.
Police from the 1003rd Maneuver Company of Regional Mobile Force Battalion 10 (RMFB10), together with the Bukidnon Provincial Intelligence Unit and the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, intercepted a commuter van at the Regional Border Control Point in Barangay Kalagangan, San Fernando, Bukidnon, on Jan. 11.
Authorities said the van, driven by a 37-year-old resident of Davao del Norte identified only as alias “Rob,” was traveling from Quezon, Bukidnon toward Kapalong, Davao del Norte when it was flagged down during an intensified checkpoint operation.
Police said operatives spotted multiple master cases of cigarettes in plain view inside the vehicle. The cigarette packs allegedly lacked the mandatory government health warning labels, and the driver failed to present documents authorizing their transport.
Eighteen master cases of Red “FORT” cigarettes were confiscated, along with the commuter van, with the total value estimated at ₱720,000. The suspect was brought to the San Fernando police station for documentation, while the seized items are set to be turned over to the Bureau of Customs in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
Police said the suspect admitted to delivering illegal cigarettes to various parts of Davao del Norte since 2020 before being intercepted at the Bukidnon checkpoint.
PBGen. Christopher N. Abrahano, regional director of Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10), said the operation reflects sustained efforts to tighten border security in Northern Mindanao.
“These intensified checkpoint operations prevent the movement of contraband and disrupt illegal trade routes that pass through the region,” Abrahano said.
Why Bukidnon checkpoints matter
Bukidnon sits at the crossroads of Northern Mindanao (Region 10), Davao Region (Region 11), and SOCCSKSARGEN (Region 12)—making it a key transit corridor for both legitimate commerce and illicit trade.
Law enforcement officials say smugglers often exploit Bukidnon’s extensive road network to move illegal goods—particularly cigarettes, liquor, and undocumented agricultural products—from ports and coastal areas toward urban markets in Davao and Central Mindanao.
Smuggled cigarettes, in particular, pose a dual threat:
• Revenue loss due to unpaid excise taxes
• Public health risks, as products bypass regulatory checks and health warnings
For this reason, PRO10 has maintained permanent and mobile checkpoints along major highways in San Fernando, Quezon, Valencia, and Manolo Fortich, often in coordination with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs.
A pattern of seizures
The Jan. 11 operation is not an isolated case. Police records show a steady stream of contraband seizures at Bukidnon checkpoints over the past year.
In late 2025, authorities intercepted multiple shipments of undocumented cigarettes and liquor at border control points in San Fernando and Quezon towns, with confiscated goods valued at hundreds of thousands of pesos. Earlier operations also resulted in the seizure of vans and trucks used to transport contraband toward Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley.
Law enforcement officials say the repeated interceptions suggest Bukidnon remains a preferred route for smugglers attempting to evade coastal inspections.
What comes next
PRO10 said intensified checkpoint operations will continue across Northern Mindanao, especially along inter-regional highways linking Bukidnon to Davao and Central Mindanao.
For authorities, the goal goes beyond single arrests. “Every interception weakens the supply chain,” one police officer said, noting that sustained border enforcement is meant to raise the cost and risk of smuggling operations.
As Northern Mindanao continues to serve as a vital economic corridor, police say keeping its borders secure remains essential—not only to protect government revenue but also to prevent illegal goods from circulating in local communities.
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₱720K cigarette bust highlights Bukidnon’s growing role in Northern Mindanao border security
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