3 nabbed for sale of smuggled cigarettes

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Three store owners were arrested for allegedly selling smuggled cigarettes in separate police operations in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on Saturday.

The operations resulted in the seizure of P439,167 worth of smuggled cigarettes, according to Lt. Col. Cyrus Belarmino of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Zamboanga peninsula.

Belarmino identified the suspects as Jerry Jul Allani, 51; Ebelini Marusi, 40, and Armand Akuk Sahid, 21.

The suspects were arrested after they reportedly sold cigarettes with Indonesian brands to undercover agents.

The arresting team said they seized from Marusi imported cigarettes with an estimated market value of P267,000.

Sahid and Alani yielded P128,800 and  P42,700 worth of cigarettes, respectively, police said.

Probers said the suspects failed to show documents for the cigarettes.

The suspects are detained at the CIDG detention facility while proper charges are being readied against them.