Yacht tagged in smuggling of guns found

MANILA, Philippines - After a five-day search, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) finally found the yacht that allegedly helped smuggle 10 crates of short firearms off Bataan, anchored in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro just before noon yesterday.

PCG-Southern Tagalog District commander Cecil Chen said the M/Y Mou Man Tai almost escaped them because its name was allegedly erased.

Since last week, PCG commander Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo had ordered all PCG districts and stations to look for the 103-gross-ton yacht where some crates bearing Indonesian-made 9-mm pistols from the Panamanian-registered ship M/V Captain Ufuk were allegedly loaded on off Mariveles, Bataan.

The PCG and police were interrogating one Derek Colin Gordon Neville found on board the yacht, supposedly owned by Bakuganmark Corp. and whose homeport is in Cebu.