By Joseph Jubelag
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Authorities arrested on Monday three suspected Indonesian smugglers while about to board a motorboat at a coastal village in Barangay Calumpang, this city.
Melody Gonzales, deputy chief for intelligence of the Bureau of Immigration in Mindanao, identified the arrested suspects as Arlan Suparlan, Gerson Pamikiran and Michael Sabid who were intercepted by intelligence operatives of the Philippine Navy, Police regional intelligence unit and Philippine Coast Guard while about to depart aboard a motorboat in Sitio Puting Bato, Barangay Calumpang.
Gonzales said the suspects were transported to BI office in Davao City for further investigation and possible deportation.
Intelligence information revealed that the suspects were involved in the smuggling of imported cigarettes from Indonesia which were distributed to the local market outlets in the city and neighboring areas.
Gonzales said the suspects will be placed under custodial investigation following information that the smuggling syndicate being operated by the suspects was being financed by police officials from Indonesia.
Last year, authorities have launched a crackdown against the proliferation of imported cigarettes from Indonesia which have flooded the local market here and neighboring areas.