“A surprise in a sweet treat.”
Jail officers in the City of Manila discovered 12 plastic sachets of tobacco hidden inside turon and maruya brought by a visitor on Sunday, July 13.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-National Capital Region (BJMP-NCR) reported that authorities at the Manila City Jail Annex intercepted a female visitor, identified only as “Jen,” who attempted to smuggle contraband using Filipino snacks.
The bureau added that Jen has been officially banned from entering the facility, in line with the policies of the visitors’ regulatory board.
“No sweet escape for contraband in turon!” the BJMP-NCR said in a Facebook post.
“BJMPRO-NCR is sending a stern warning: if you’re planning to smuggle illegal items into our jail facilities, think again,” it added.
“Our personnel are highly vigilant, and we have strict protocols in place to ensure no contraband gets through. Violations will always lead to immediate and serious consequences, including permanent visiting bans or even criminal charge,” the BJMP-NCR said.
The incident reached a Philippine Reddit community, where some Filipinos shared their comments about the smuggle.
“Respeto naman sa turon, grabe sila!” a Redditor exclaimed.
“True. Ang sarap tingnan ng pagka-caramelize niya. ‘Di lang [talaga] siya niluto para lagyan ng tobacco. Marunong [talaga] siya. Hahaha,” another Reddit user said.
“That’s a great hiding spot and a funny one,” commented another Pinoy.
“Minatamis na tabako,” a Reddit user said.
“Naiinis ako, mukang masarap pa naman [‘yung] turon,” another Redditor commented.
“Off topic, sayang naman ‘yung mga turon, mukhang masarap pa naman. Nag-crave tuloy ako. LOL,” a different Reddit user wrote.
Turon is made by coating ripened bananas rolled in brown sugar into lumpia wrappers and then frying them in caramelized sugar.
In 2020, the BJMP reminded the public that tobacco products like cigarettes are considered contraband under jail policies.
