ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police seized over P2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga, officials reported Sunday.
Officials said seven people were taken into custody and are being
investigated by the authorities. Five of them were crewmen of a fishing boat
transporting dozens of boxes of cigarettes and noodles.
The boat (F/B Reana), manned by Lijon Salad
Albani, Anam Dammang and Nurhasi – both surnamed Said; and Julkipli Lamalan and
Tony Dahi, was intercepted on Saturday off
Manalipa Island by patrolling police and customs agents.
The seized contraband was worth over P1 million and came from Jolo town
in Sulu province and the cigarettes and noodles were to be delivered to
Zamboanga Sibugay’s Mabuhay town.
Police also confiscated 32 boxes of cigarettes valued at over P1.1
million from Benhar Tunggal and Aldimar Idjan who were delivering the
contraband Friday when their truck had a flat tire in the coastal village of
Sinunuc, according to Maj. Shellamie Chang, a regional police spokesperson.
She said the policemen offered help, but spotted the contraband during
inspection of the truck.
Two other anti-smuggling operations last week netted over P4 million
worth of cigarettes in Sinunuc village here and in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Tungawan
town. The smuggling of cigarettes, among other commercial products from nearby
Sabah, continues unabated in Zamboanga. (Mindanao Examiner)
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