P6.5 million smuggled cigarettes seized off Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Seven crew members of a watercraft loaded with master cases of smuggled cigarettes were arrested off the coast of this city yesterday.

A total of 188 master cases of smuggled cigarettes with an estimated value of P6.5 million were seized.

Personnel of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company Seaborne and Bureau of Customs were conducting border security when they spotted the watercraft, locally known as jungkong, near the vicinity of Manalipa Island.

Col. Richard Verceles, Area Police Command-Western Mindanao operations chief, said the boat was bound for Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur.

On Wednesday, police intercepted a sport utility vehicle loaded with smuggled cigarettes worth P255,000 in Barangay Boyugan West in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur.

Verceles said the occupants of the SUV failed to present pertinent documents to transport the cigarettes.