Four individuals are facing charges for allegedly transporting P3.8-million worth of smuggled cigarettes at Barangay 2 in Negros Occidental’s Ilog town on Tuesday, July 9.

Ilog police chief, Major Joseph Partidas, said charges of violating Republic Act 8424, or Tax Reform Act of 1997, were filed against a 31-year-old construction worker, two fishermen aged 18 and 19, and a 20-year-old Malaysian national, all residents of Isabela City, Basilan.

Partidas said the four were riding in a motorbanca, carrying 155 boxes, or 7,750 reams, of cigarettes worth P3.8 million, when they were intercepted by the Philippine Coast Guard in Southern Negros.

Partidas said the four traveled for two days from Zamboanga to deliver the cigarettes to Negros Island.

The suspects claimed that they were only told to transport the items.

They did not know who the source was, and the clients who would pick up the products.

The suspects are now in police custody./WDJ