ZAMBOANGA CITY – The military in Tawi-Tawi province and local officials of Turtle Islands, which borders the country and Sabah, Malaysia, have agreed to seal off all possible entry points of smugglers of imported cigarettes and sugar to the country.

Bureau of Customs (BOC) sub-port (Bongao, Tawi-Tawi) Collector Nurin H. Hakimin said Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi (JTF-Tawi-Tawi) and the local government of Taganak, Tawi-Tawi have expressed full support to the endeavor banning the entry of billions of pesos worth of illegally imported cigarettes and sugar to the country.

Hakimin, together with JTF-Tawi-Tawi Commander Col. Chito Rojas, visited the border on Saturday, September 19.

The officials visited the area in compliance with the directive of BOC Chief Rey Leonardo B Guerrero to strictly regulate the entry of smuggled imported cigarettes and sugar to the country.

A similar directive was also issued by BOC Zamboanga District Collector Segundo Barte to Hakimin for him to flush out all smuggling activities in Tawi-Tawi province.

The officials utilized the Multi-Purpose Assault Craft (MPAC) 386 of the Philippine Navy and, accompanied by Task Force Aduana (PCG), visited Taganak island where they were met by Taganak,  Tawi-Tawi local government officials,led by Mayor Mohammad  Faizal Jamalul.

The group received a briefing from Jamalul on the current situation in the town which borders the country and Malaysia.

Rojas, Hakimin and Jamalul agreed to establish a Marine detachment at Taganak and Great Bakkungan, both islands are less than 10 nautical miles to Sandakan, Malaysia.

The sea lanes near both islands are frequently used by smugglers as their entry point to Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, or the so-called BaSulTa provinces, where imported cigarettes and sugar are openly sold in the local markets.

Hakimin expressed confident that the measures will be minimized the entry of smuggled imported  cigarettes and sugar to the country.

Hakimin said that bringing in to the country imported cigarettes violates Executive Order No. 245 entitled “Amended Rules & Regulations Governing the Exportation and Importation of Tobacco and Tobacco Products” and Section 117 and 1113 paragraphs a and f and  of RA 10863 otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of 2016;

Traders of imported sugar also violate Republic Act (R.A.) 10845 “ for Large Scale Agricultural Smuggling as Economic Sabotage and in violation of R.A. 10863 otherwise known as the CMTA of 2016 in relation to Section 117 and Section 1113 par. a  and SRA rules and regulations.