PNP backs tougher rules vs illegal vapes

MANILA, Philippines — Backing tougher regulations against the illicit vape trade, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has intensified intelligence-driven operations against people and organized groups orchestrating the distribution of illegal vape products in the community.

In issuing his directive to go after people involved in the illegal scheme, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has expressed concern over the health issues raised by medical experts, particularly the adverse effects of vapes on teenagers and minors.

The Department of Health has reported an increase in the number of youngsters with lung problems due to the use of vapes, and is seeking the passage of tougher laws, including a ban on vape products.

“We support any move to strengthen the legal ground on this matter in the interest of public health,” Nartatez said in a statement.

Stressing that cooperation among government agencies is key to addressing the problem, Nartatez said the PNP would strengthen its coordination with other stakeholders to improve enforcement operations against illegal vape traders.

He urged the public to report violators, saying that community involvement is crucial in stopping the sale of illegal vape products.

“We encourage the public to report retailers selling unregistered and non-compliant illegal vape products, especially those targeting the youth sector,” Nartatez said.

Meanwhile, the PNP has intensified its operations against the “guerilla-style” sale of short message service (SMS) blaster machines in the black market.

Nartatez ordered police units to go after groups selling the text blasters, which reportedly came from dismantled Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGO.

“We cannot allow these to proliferate and our police units were already tasked to intensify intelligence-monitoring and strategic operations against all those involved,” Nartatez said in a statement.

The Anti-Cybercrime Group earlier arrested three people selling SMS blasters in Bacoor, Cavite and in Parañaque.

According to Nartatez, the specialized machines are no longer confined to large-scale scam centers as criminals are offloading the equipment to individual buyers through online platforms.

“While we have seen a decline in centralized scam hubs since the 2024 POGO ban, we are now facing a guerrilla-style distribution,” Nartatez said.

The SMS blasters are used to send messages to cellphone users, remaining as the primary engines for large-scale smishing and phishing scams.

Nartatez said the text blasters are able to bypass traditional network security, unlike internet-based scams. 

“We are working in lockstep with the National Telecommunications Commission to enforce a zero-tolerance policy on e-commerce sites,” he said.