COUNTERFEIT CIGARETTES. Two individuals who were found in possession of counterfeit cigarettes were arrested in Sta. Cruz, Zambales on Wednesday (Oct. 27, 2021). They are now facing charges for violation of Section 155 in relation to Section 170 of Republic Act 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (selling and transporting of suspected fake/counterfeit cigarettes). (Photo courtesy by Zambales PPO) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - Law enforcers arrested two persons who were found in possession of counterfeit cigarettes during an anti-criminality operation in Sta. Cruz, Zambales on Wednesday night. In a police report released on Thursday, Col. Romano Cardino, director of the Zambales Police Provincial Office, said the suspects were identified as Lino Medel, 47, a businessman, of Barangay Bamban in Infanta town; and Rosepel Pormento, 33, of Barangay Gaas-Guipe in Dasol town, both in Pangasinan. Cardino said the operation was conducted by the joint elements of Sta Cruz Municipal Police Station, 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, Provincial Intelligence Unit and the 305th Regional Mobile Force Battalion. He said seized were 112 reams of Two Moon green soft pack, 85 reams of Two Moon blue soft pack, 45 reams of Two Moon blue hard pack, five reams of Mighty Green hard pack with a total amount of around PHP40,000 and an L300 white van (TOH 829). The Zambales police has coordinated with the Japan Tobacco Inc., a firm based in Pampanga for authentication purposes. Meanwhile, the suspects were charged with violation of Section 155 in relation to Section 170 of Republic Act 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (selling and transporting of suspected fake/counterfeit cigarettes). (PNA) }