₱36.7M smuggled cigarettes seized from 3 arrested in Zamboanga City

Cigarettes. INQUIRER STOCK PHOTO

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities have arrested three individuals and seized about ₱36.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in this city, police reported on Saturday.

Col. Fidel Fortaleza Jr., city police director, identified the suspects only by their aliases: “Eding,” 54, of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; “Alwijar,” 33, of Panamao, Sulu; and “Basar,” 35, also of Panamao.

They were arrested at a private wharf in Barangay Campo Islam at 9:50 a.m. Friday as they unloaded the contraband from a motorboat.

Fortaleza said the police received a tip that a motorboat would dock at the private wharf to unload smuggled cigarettes. When operatives arrived, they witnessed assorted master cases of cigarettes being unloaded from the vessel M/L J-Minda.

A total of 642 master cases of assorted cigarette brands were confiscated. After inventory, the seized items were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.

On Thursday, authorities also arrested three people — including a police officer assigned to Zamboanga del Sur — and confiscated about ₱390,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes.

The suspects were arrested around 5:30 a.m. after a chase in Barangay Tipan, Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental.

Police reports said the officer serves as the officer-in-charge of a municipality in Zamboanga del Sur. His two companions were identified as residents of Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, and Clarin, Misamis Occidental.

The suspects and the seized contraband are under the custody of the Misamis Occidental Maritime Police Station for proper disposition.

READ: Smuggled cigarettes worth P11.6M seized in Zamboanga City