GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Smuggled cigarettes worth P21 million were seized and 16 suspected smugglers were arrested in Glan, Sarangani on Black Saturday.
Police Brig. Gen. Percival Placer, Police Regional Office-12 chief, said lawmen found the smuggled cigarettes unloaded from a fishing boat from Banguingui, Sulu in coastal Barangay Batulaki.
Placer said 1,000 master cases of R and B cigarettes with an estimated value of P21 million were supposed to be delivered to Digos City, Davao del Sur.
These were intercepted after the Philippine Navy coordinated with police following intelligence information that the suspects aboard FB Blady Weeya from Sulu will unload the smuggled cigarettes in Glan before they will be delivered to Digos City.
The smuggled items were turned to the Bureau of Customs and the suspects were detained at the Police Station 2 in this city.
The suspects face appropriate charges.