P10 million worth of smuggled sugar seized in Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Coast Guard turned over Saturday to the Bureau of Customs an estimated P10 million worth of smuggled sugar seized from a boat rescued early this week off Tawi-Tawi.

Customs Commissioner Isidro La Peña, who presided the turnover, said the boat M/L Sabrina loaded with 5,000 bags of smuggled sugar towed by the Coast Guard vessel arrived in the city Saturday morning after two days of transport from Mapun Island, Tawi-Tawi.

La Peña visited Zamboanga City to make an assessment of the bureau's anti-smuggling efforts in the south.

He personally conducted the ocular inspection of the seized imported sugar aboard the apprehended boat docked at the pier of the Philippine Port Authority.

Capt. Joseph Coyme, Coast Guard Southwestern District commander, said his personnel initially rescued M/L Sabrina drifting in the vicinity of Mapun Island following distress call from an international liner M/V Nikolaos A that was passing the area last Monday.

Coyme said they initially made an arrangement with M/V Nikolaos that was enroute to Singapore to tow the ill-fated boat towards Mapun Island. The boat was then brought to responding vessels BRP Malabrigo and BRP Cape San Agustin, which assisted the 13 crew members on board.

The Coast Guard official directed his ground commander to conduct the safety inspection and documents of M/L Sabrina and discovered that it was carrying some 5,000 bags of smuggled sugar.

Initial investigation showed that the imported sugar came from Labuan in Sabah, Malaysia.

“During the investigation, the boat captain showed the manifest that the boat was carrying 6,000 bags of smuggled sugar. However, to keep the boat afloat they dropped almost a thousand bags of the smuggled sugar,” Coyme said. 

The Coast Guard official immediately reported the matter to his counterpart, Customs District Collector Lyceo Martinez, and coordinated the proper turnover of the contraband.

“After almost two days of towing operations, we were successful today that we have delivered physically the intercepted and apprehended vessel M/L Sabrina containing more or less 5,000 imported sugar. We are happy to present it with Commissioner La Peña who incidentally visited the port,” Coyme said.

Martinez immediately issued the warrant for seizure and detention order of the 5,000 bags of smuggled sugar and the motorlaunch.

The Customs district collector said they will also immediately conduct the auction proceedings for the disposition of the seized sugar in the market.

“After the proper inventory we will immediately have the auction proceedings,” Martinez said.

According to Martinez, if a bag is sold at P2,000, the estimated total value of the smuggled sugar would be P10 million. 

La Peña said they will invite the Sugar Regulatory Administration during the auction proceedings.

The BOC, meanwhile, started its probe to track down the consignee of the smuggled sugar. 

“Those responsible in this illegal activity will be appropriately charged in court,” La Peña said.