PRO-10 Spokesperson PMAJ. Joann Navarro clarified that recent large-scale seizures of smuggled cigarettes do not mean Northern Mindanao has become a smuggling hub.
Navarro explained that confiscating millions of pesos in contraband reflects the heightened efficiency of police intelligence, border checkpoints, and coordination with the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
She emphasized that law enforcement operates without favor or protection in its relentless crackdown on illegal trade.
Navarro added that operations focus not just on intercepting transport vehicles and drivers, but on pursuing the major syndicates and financiers backing the smuggling networks.
