By Liezle Basa-Inigo

NAGUILIAN, Isabela —- The joint forces of Naguilian Police, Isabela Police, and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) agents on May 29 raided a rice mill suspected to be a factory of fake cigarettes, and nabbed the four foreigners running the operation.

The four suspects, identified as Wu Jia Jun, 26; Steven Tan, 31; Chen Qong Gong, 37; and We Yao Mei, 25, introduced themselves as Koreans, but authorities figured they are Chinese nationals.

Through an interpreter, the suspects were informed of their rights and the multiple cases they will be facing in court for violating Republic Act (RA) No. 8293, the Intellectual Property Code; Customs Modernization Tariff Act, National Internal Revenue Code, and RA 11332, the Law on Reporting Communicable Diseases.

Isabela Police operatives also alerted the the town’s Rural Health Unit personnel who, wearing personal protective equipment in compliance with COVID-19 protocol, checked the health condition of the four foreigners and their workers found manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes in Barangay Palattao, Naguilian, Isabela.

Bureau of Customs operatives from the national office arrived Saturday and requested the permission of the BIR Regional Office, Philippine National Police (PNP) Naguilian, and PNP Isabela to bring the suspects to Manila for proper presentation.

The suspects had been observed hauling the contraband items out of Lucky Triple 8 Rice Mill Corporation in Barangay Palattao. The BIR then secured a mission order to inspect the rice mill, leading to the discovery that it was being used as an illegal cigarette factory manned by more or less 200 workers from the Visayas and Mindanao.

Isabela Police Provincial Office (PPO) Provincial Director Col. James Cipriano commended the personnel involved for showing their devotion to duty leading to worthy accomplishment, and for their effort to “continue the war on anti-criminality, patrol the streets, and arrest criminals to keep Isabelinos away from harm.”

As of this posting, BIR personnel headed by Atty. Nasrollah B. Conding, revenue district officer, and other concerned government agencies are still conducting an inspection and inventory of the illegal cigarette factory until June 5.

It was reported earlier in Manila Bulletin that fake cigarettes and raw materials and machines used to manufacture counterfeit cigarettes worth P1.3 billion were uncovered in a warehouse in Naguilian, Isabela last Thursday (May 28), the Bureau of Customs said.

Four Chinese nationals were arrested when a team from the Customs Enforcement and Security Service raided the warehouse located in Barangay Palattao, Naguilian.

Various assorted fake cigarettes, raw tobacco materials, and cigarette packing machines were found inside the warehouse.

The Customs bureau raided the warehouse due to its lack of permit and violation of Customs laws, rules, and regulations.

Armed with a letter of authority, the operation was conducted with the officials of Barangay Palattao, the PNP-Isabela PPO, and the BIR.