Fake cigarettes seized by CIDG in Virac, Catanduanes

By Cet Dematera

SOME P 200,000 worth of fake or counterfeit cigarette packs were confiscated by the joint elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the police in Virac, Catanduanes recently.

Major Antonio Perez, Virac police chief, said that confiscated in a grocery store inside the Virac public market were cigarettes Mighty Red, and Jackpot.

Perez said the cigarettes were confirmed to be counterfeit by a representative of Philip Morris Corporation.

“This representative confirmed that the confiscated cigarettes are counterfeit because these are not bearing the official seals and of inferior quality,” Perez said.

He said that the store owner could be charged of violating provisions of Republic Act 10963, or the Train Law, for tax evasion.

“But there will be confirmatory tests first before a formal case could be filed against the grocery owner,” Perez explained.

Perez said that the store owner denied knowledge that what they were selling were counterfeit.

He said that the owner pointed to the supplier of the confiscated items as the one knowledgeable whether the items are fake or not.

“We could expect further investigation by the CIDG on this matter. They are going to trace who could be behind this illegal activity,” Perez added.

He called on business establishments in Virac to immediately report to them activities involving selling of counterfeit products.

“You have to report immediately supplying or selling of fake items in your area so that we could stop them right away,” Perez said.

But Perez said that the confiscation of fake cigarettes was the first case in Catanduanes in recent times.