January 8, 2026
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was working to crack down on a cigarette variant laced with a “potent” tobacco plant locally known as “tuklaw.”
This came in a statement on Wednesday after authorities arrested three individuals in Bacoor City last Dec. 24 for allegedly selling the “tuklaw” cigarette.
“We have seen the effects of this black cigarette and it is alarming. We are working closely with other law enforcement agencies to prevent its entry and proliferation in the country,” Acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in the statement.
READ: PDEA, DDB warn public against ‘tuklaw’ cigarettes
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) last August warned the public against the “tuklaw” cigarette.
The two anti-drug agencies noted that “tuklaw” had three times more nicotine content compared to normal cigarettes and may cause seizure-like symptoms upon consumption.
Nartatez also noted that the police force recently confiscated billions of pesos worth of allegedly smuggled cigarettes across the country in recent weeks.
“The PNP will further intensify its operations against illegal cigarettes,” Nartatez said, stressing “the need for stricter patrols along the country’s borders to prevent the entry of contraband tobacco products from neighboring countries.”
This came after police recovered cigarettes worth P120 million in Pampanga last Dec. 25 and 27; P1.1 billion in Batangas City last Dec. 31; P1.5 billion in Malabon City last Jan. 1; and P21 million in Zamboanga City last Jan. 6. /mr