Zamboanga police seized P36.7-million worth of smuggled cigarettes by chance during an investigation of a shooting incident in Barangay Kasanyangan, Zamboanga City last Tuesday, January 25.
A police report said Zamboanga City Police Officer in Charge P/Col. Alexander Lorenzo was leading a follow-up investigation on a shooting incident which happened in the area last Monday when the cops chanced upon an unattended warehouse containing boxes of undocumented cigarettes.
Police seized 1.038 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P36.7-million reportedly kept inside the warehouse.
The policemen also confiscated a van loaded with an additional 60 master cases worth an additional P3.7-million.
As of presstime, police have not yet determined the identity of the warehouse owners.
The seized items were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.