By Betheena Kae Unite
Around 1,200 sacks of rice suspected to be smuggled from Sabah, Malaysia into the country were intercepted in Zamboanga City Saturday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday.
(Philippine Coast Guard/ Facebook)
The rice shipments, which were estimated to be worth P3.6 million, were already loaded into two trucks when intercepted, according to the PCG.
An intelligent report from the 11th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines led to the interception, the PCG added.
On Saturday, the PCG was informed that “smuggled rice were loaded to an unknown van truck,” prompting them to send a team to conduct maritime patrol at Taha Wharf, Baliwasan Seaside in Zamboanga but yielded negative result.
However, at 11:40 p.m. of the same day, a team from PCG, Philippine National Police and Task Force Zamboanga spotted two suspicious closed wing van trucks with plate number KVY-2980 and a temporary plate number 030110, respectively, at RT Lim Boulevard near Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College.
When inspected, the sacks of rice were discovered inside the vehicles. The cargoes were then turned over to the Bureau of Customs in Zamboanga for proper disposition.
The drivers of the two trucks identified as Roberto Doldoa and Raymond Requinto were taken into custody for investigation, the Coast Guard said.