ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police intercepted a boat off the coastal village of Maasin here and seized some 90 cases of smuggled cigarettes worth over P3.1 million, a police spokesperson said Monday.
Maj. Shellamie Chang said members of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company were patrolling off the village when they spotted the boat before dawn Sunday.
“The 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company conducted seaborne patrol and intensification of border control against illegal entries and smuggling activities along the sea waters of Maasin resulting in the interception of one motorized wooden watercraft loaded with 21 master cases of Cannon, 10 master cases of Astro red, 20 master cases of Bravo red, 35 master cases of Fort menthol, and 4 master cases of RS menthol,” she said.
She said three boatmen were being investigated. The trio said the cigarettes allegedly originated in Sulu province, but police did not say whether the boatmen revealed the identity of the smuggler's owner. “The watercraft was allegedly from Jolo, Sulu bound to Zamboanga City and the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company has coordinated with the Bureau of Customs to conduct inspection and inventory of the contraband,” Chang said.
Smuggling is rampant in the southern Philippines despite government efforts to stop the nefarious activities. Most of the smuggled goods from cigarettes to rice to diesel fuel come from Sabah in Malaysia near the border province of Tawi-Tawi. (Mindanao Examiner)
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