MANILA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Police have dismantled a large-scale illegal cigarette manufacturing and distribution network in the Philippines, seizing nearly 800 million pesos (about 13 million U.S. dollars) worth of raw materials and equipment, local media reported on Saturday.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) carried out the seizure earlier this week. The illegal operation had been active since the third quarter of 2025, according to Jonvic Remulla, secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Remulla emphasized the significance of the seizure, noting that such operations deprive the government of billions of pesos in excise tax revenues intended for public healthcare and other essential social services.
He added that authorities have already shut down similar operations in Luzon and will intensify enforcement efforts in the Visayas region in the coming months. ■
