Lawman arrested for selling P560,000 smuggled cigarettes in Zamboanga City
By Liza Jocson
A Zamboanga City police officer was arrested during an entrapment operation and anti-smuggling operation on Tuesday, July 4, in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur.
Police Major Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office-9 Public Information Officer, identified the suspect as Police Corporal Abdul Michael Taulani Ladja, 36, assigned to the Zamboanga City Police Office Station 1.
Ladja was arrested together with his cohort, Edward Charles Aquino Brown, 28, self- employed, and resident of Baliwasan Grande here.
Suspects were arrested after allegedly selling smuggled cigarettes to a police poseur-buyer.
Police confiscated 16 master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes worth P560,000, two vehicles, a .9mm Glock pistol, live ammunition, and marked money from the suspects.
Suspects and the confiscated items were brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Zamboanga del Sur for disposition.
Police received information about their illicit activities from an intelligence report which stated their involvement in smuggling in Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur.