ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police intercepted two vessels transporting undocumented cigarettes on Wednesday, Nov.12, in the sea of Santa Cruz Island, a popular tourist destination here.
The Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company Seaborne was conducting joint seaborne patrol with the Regional Mobile Unit 9, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9, and the Zamboanga City Police Office Station 11 when they chanced upon the two vessels – a motorized boat marked MB Zhyryne manned by four crew from Zamboanga City and Sulu province and the MB Sophia Javy with four crew from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Further inspection showed a combined haul of 1,532 cases of different brands of smuggled cigarettes valued at an estimated P70 million.
The two vessels were towed to the Seaborne headquarters on RT Lim Boulevard.
The cargo is set for turnover to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.