SMUGGLED cigarettes recovered in Zamboanga City. (Photo via Liza Jocson)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) seized P7.1-million worth of smuggled cigarettes in an anti-smuggling operation on the west coast of this city on Thursday afternoon.
In a report on Friday, the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM) said the contraband was seized on the shoreline of Barangay Cawit.
The CGDSWM said its personnel launched the anti-smuggling operation after receiving an intelligence report that suspected smuggled cigarettes were being unloaded from a motorboat on the shore of the village.
No one was arrested as the smuggled cigarettes were abandoned by their supposed owner or shipper upon noticing the presence of authorities in the area.
“Upon approach of Coast Guard personnel, the smugglers on board their motorboat immediately sped toward the open sea, leaving the contraband behind,” the CGDSWM said in its report.
It added that the CGDSWM team attempted to pursue and intercept the vessel but was unsuccessful due to rough sea conditions.
Confiscated at the shoreline were about 110 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes with an estimated value of P7.1 million.
The contraband was transported to Coast Guard Station-Zamboanga for proper inventory and turnover to the Bureau of Customs for further investigation. (With PNA)