SMUGGLED cigarettes seized last week. (Photo via Liza Jocson)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Some P526-million worth of smuggled cigarettes were intercepted by the Philippine Navy in Western Mindanao in two separate operations last week.
The first operation took place last Wednesday afternoon, May 13, when Navy personnel observed a suspicious vessel loaded with cargo.
Navy personnel boarded the vessel for verification and found a total of 2,519 cases of cases of foreign cigarettes which lacked documentation.
An inventory conducted the following day revealed that the cargo amounted to an estimated market value of P317,352,637 which included the P1.2-million vessel.
The boat captain and 13 crew members were said to be from Maluso, Basilan province.
Less than 48 hours later, another suspicious vessel, the JTK Express, was intercepted by a Navy vessel southeast of Matanal Point, Hadji Mohammad Ajul in Basilan.
Navy personnel found 1,400 master cases of undocumented cigarettes amounting to P208,947,243.
The boat was enroute to Pagadian City from Tawi-Tawi when it was intercepted.
The two vessels were escorted to the Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Bagong Calarian, Zamboanga City.
A total of 3,916 master cases of smuggled cigarettes with a combined estimated value of P526,299,880 were recovered.
A total of 21 persons were apprehended and facing charges for violating Republic Act 12022, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
Confiscated items were turned over to the Bureau of Customs at Port of Zamboanga.