Coast Guard confiscates P270K in smuggled cigarettes

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday morning seized an estimated P270,000 in cigarettes smuggled in from Malaysia.

Lt. Cmdr. Noriel Ramos, coast guard station commander, said they confiscated the contraband early Wednesday morning after receiving intelligence reports that the contraband would be unloaded at  a private wharf in Barangay Balisawan.

Ramos said they boarded M/B Cutter Wave and discovered it was loaded with nine big boxes of smuggled cigarettes.

M/B Cutter Wave is owned and operated by a certain Aimora Saluay with business address of Lower Port Holland, Maluso, Basilan. The boat is skippered by Akli Saii, also of Maluso town.

Ramos identified the consignee of the smuggled cigarettes as a certain Aljakaria, Hadji. Bong, Al and a certain Usup.

The coast guard also found that the boat did not have a Certificate of Public Convenience or franchise, a PCG clearance to leave port, or a master's declaration of safe departure.

The boat has been impounded and the confiscated cigarettes have been turned over to the Bureau of Customs.