SMUGGLED cigarettes recovered in Zamboanga City.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Zamboanga City Maritime Police Station seized 1,106 reams of smuggled cigarettes valued at P1.5 million here on Thursday, Jan. 22.
The contraband was recovered from an unidentified passenger during port security operations and random baggage inspections.
These are in line with a directive from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strengthen presence to deter smuggling and other illegal activities.
The confiscated items lacked the required graphic health warnings as mandated by law and were turned over to the Bureau of Customs.
Daylight shooting
A buko or coconut vendor was shot and wounded by unidentified gunmen here on Thursday.
The victim, Jeffrey dela Cruz, 33, was sitting with two companions in front of his buko stand when the assailants on board a black motorcycle approached and shot him.
The suspects fled and Dela Cruz, who sustained three bullet wounds, was taken to the hospital.
Authorities recovered four empty shell casings in the area.
Follow-up investigation is ongoing.