By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Simultaneous operations in Bulacan and Valenzuela yielded over P2.4 billion worth of illegal cigarettes and manufacturing equipment that were confiscated by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), in coordination with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and local law enforcement.
It was revealed that the illicit plant in Bulacan has a capacity to produce an estimated 12.9 million cigarettes daily, valued at approximately P45 million per day.
The total market value of the confiscated items, including production machinery and raw materials, is estimated at P1.245 billion. Additionally, 155 trafficked individuals were rescued from the factory.
In three separate operations in Valenzuela, an estimated P1.158 billion worth of illegal cigarette brands were confiscated by the authorities.
Several individuals were also nabbed, including foreign nationals alias “Yanliang” , “Rock”, “Zizhan” “Zili”, and “Ziqiang”, arrested in Valenzuela, and “WU” in Bulacan, all of whom now face charges related to tax evasion, intellectual property violations, and human trafficking, among other crimes.
The arrested suspects have been transferred to the CIDG Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crime Unit (AFCCU) for documentation and further legal processing. Meanwhile, all confiscated evidence remains under the temporary custody of the BIR.
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