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The PNP–Highway Patrol Group inspects a container van bearing suspected smuggled cigarettes at a private yard in Barangay Balete, Batangas City on December 31, 2025. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News

The PNP–Highway Patrol Group inspects a container van bearing suspected smuggled cigarettes at a private yard in Barangay Balete, Batangas City on December 31, 2025.

Article (news)

PNP–Highway Patrol Group

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1767188694024viber_image_2025-12-31_20-53-11-901.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The PNP–Highway Patrol Group inspects a container van bearing suspected smuggled cigarettes at a private yard in Barangay Balete, Batangas City on December 31, 2025. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The PNP–Highway Patrol Group inspects a container van bearing suspected smuggled cigarettes at a private yard in Barangay Balete, Batangas City on December 31, 2025. <em>Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- An ongoing manhunt by the PNP–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) for a carnapped car led to the discovery of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at more than ₱1.1 billion in Sitio 5, Barangay Balete, Batangas City, on New Year&#x27;s Eve.</p><p>With the help of GPS tracking, police traced the missing sedan—reported stolen a week earlier—parked and abandoned beside trailer trucks carrying container vans inside a private yard in the area.</p><p>&quot;It can be a suspected rent-tangay case, that was our initial target. But when we checked the sedan&#x27;s GPS, it led us here to this yard, and we saw one container van already open,&quot; said PBGen. Hansel Marantan, Director of the PNP-HPG.</p><p>When authorities inspected the container vans, they found boxes of cigarettes of various brands. Investigators believe the cigarettes were smuggled, but have yet to determine the origin of the shipment.</p><p>&quot;We have the containers&#x27; number na naman po. We will just  investigate kung saan siya nanggaling, kung ini-smuggle siya outrightly o kung dumaan sa siya sa Customs process and if so kung saan port siya lumabas,&quot; said Special Police Major Christopher Carracedo of the Bureau of Customs.</p><p>Acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the shipment may have been misdeclared if it passed through a port.</p><p>&quot;Pag sa port it could be misdeclared ito, because titingnan natin yung mga resibo nito or  the payment that they have paid for the customs. So malalaman natin eh pinabayaan lang nila dito eh,&quot; Nartatez said.</p><p>Authorities are also determining whether the haul is linked to suspected smuggled cigarettes that were seized in Bulacan two weeks ago after similarities were found in the markings and packaging.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/12/29/over-p120-million-worth-of-suspected-smuggled-cigarettes-seized-in-pampanga-1558">READ: Over P120 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes seized in Pampanga</a></div><p>&quot;We will fully investigate [kung] ito ba ay connected doon sa 163 million and 120 million. Dalawa yung magkasunod  nakuha doon sa Bulacan, NLEX,&quot; he added.</p><p>Landowner Narciso Clet said the property has been leased since 2020 as a parking area for trailer trucks, and he had no knowledge how long the container vans had been stored there.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ko po alam kung gaano katagal na itong mga container van na ito. Ngayon na lang po ulit nakita ang mga container na ito,&quot; Clet said.</p><p>Authorities have yet to identify those responsible for the suspected smuggled cigarettes.</p><p>No arrests have been made in connection with the suspected contraband, and no suspects were found near the recovered carnapped sedan.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mXL3x6E9F7o?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>An ongoing manhunt by the PNP–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) for a carnapped car led to the discovery of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at more than ₱1.1 billion in Sitio 5, Barangay Balete, Batangas City, on New Year's Eve.</p>

An ongoing manhunt by the PNP–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) for a carnapped car led to the discovery of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at more than ₱1.1 billion in Sitio 5, Barangay Balete, Batangas City, on New Year's Eve.

From carnap to contraband: Over P1-B of suspected smuggled cigarettes seized in Batangas City

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From carnap to contraband: Over P1-B of suspected smuggled cigarettes seized in Batangas City

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 31, 2025 09:47 PM PHT

|

Updated December 31, 2025 09:48 PM PHT

Read More:

smuggled cigarettes

Batangas City

PNP–Highway Patrol Group

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