Authorities apprehended a 25-year-old resident of Bataraza, southern Palawan, over the weekend for allegedly selling unauthorized cigarettes worth ₱4,000 to an undercover agent.
The arrest took place on February 8 at around 12 noon in Barangay Tagnato, where the suspect also resides.
The Palawan Police Provincial Office (PalPPO) has not disclosed the identity of the person currently facing charges for violating Republic Act 10643, also known as The Graphic Health Warnings Law, due to the sale of 11 reams of illegal cigarettes.
The Bataraza police station worked along with personnel from the 3rd Platoon of the 1st Palawan Police Mobile Force Company (PPMFC) to carry out a joint operation aimed at stopping the proliferation of contraband cigarettes in Palawan. This operation resulted in the arrest of the suspect.
He had eight ₱500 bills (the buy-bust money), four master cases of untaxed cigarettes, and 26 reams of Fort taken from him during the operation. The total worth of these items was estimated to be ₱75,000.
