Police seized smuggled red onions worth almost P2.6 million in the sea of Zamboanga City on Sunday, Jan. 22.
The 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company, together with Customs and police units, was conducting seaborne patrol on the coastline of Barangay Labuan when they spotted a ‘’jungkong’’ or motorized wooden sea craft marked “Timzzan.”
They inspected the vessel and discovered 1,624 mesh bags of red onions weighing four kilograms each with an estimated value of P2,598,400.
Five crew members were held after they failed to provide papers legalizing the transportation of the cargo.
The Bureau of Plant Industry also inspected and inventoried the contraband before it was placed under the custody of the BOC.
The produce reportedly came from India and transported to Malaysia before being smuggled into Tawi -Tawi and then to Zamboanga City.