Camp Olivas, Pampanga—Some P700,000 worth of counterfeit cigarettes believed for retail distribution in different stores of Nueva Ecija was confiscated by lawmen and Bureau of Internal Revenue District 4 personnel during raid at a warehouse in Barangay Kabulihan, General Natividad town over the weekend.
Police said a suspected retailer of fake cigarettes was arrested and was identified as Arthur Villena Bautista, businessman and owner of the warehouse where confiscated items are stockpiled.
A total of 50 master cases of Two Moon and other brands of cigarettes with an estimated amount of P700,000, according to BIR personnel, were found by the raiding team at the warehouse.
Counterfeit cigarettes are being sold by enterprising individuals in remote areas to avoid being detected by authorities.
Police said Bautista’s younger brother Antonio was arrested by police authorities after he was complained by residents in the community offering fake cigarettes to different stalls in Gen. Natividad town.
During investigation, the younger Bautista pointed his older brother as the source of fake cigarettes that prompted the police to organize a raiding team with the help of BIR personnel.
The confiscated items, police said has no BIR sticker an indication that the cigarettes being distributed are illegally acquired from unlawful sources.
The suspects remained under police custody as appropriate criminal charges are being readied against them.
