P7.2-M smuggled cigarettes seized in Zamboanga City; 8 arrested

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – Police intercepted a motorized boat carrying over P7.2 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes and arrested eight crew members during a seaborne operation in the coastal waters off Barangay Sinunuc, Zamboanga City on Thursday morning.

Police Lt. Col. Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office 9 (PRO-9) spokesperson, reported that personnel from the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company (ZCMFC), operating alongside the Regional Intelligence Division and the Zamboanga City Police Office, spotted a motorized wooden watercraft locally known as a jungkung at around 3:45 a.m. near Acapulco Beach.

An inspection of the vessel yielded 124 master cases and 35 reams of assorted untaxed cigarettes. The eight crew members aboard failed to present valid shipping or transport documents for the cargo.

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READ: PNP seizes P37.1M in smuggled cigarettes in Mimaropa

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Verification with the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) on Thursday set the daily index price at P117.00 per pack, bringing the total estimated value of the confiscated contraband to P7,294,950.

The suspects, all male, aged 24 to 48 and residents of Talipao, Sulu, and parts of Zamboanga City, were taken into custody for proper documentation and investigation.

Authorities said the suspects will face charges for violating Republic Act No. 10643, or the Graphic Health Warnings Law. Their case is set to be referred to the Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office IX.

The jungkung and its cargo were towed to the 2nd ZCMFC Wharf along Roseller T. Lim Boulevard in Barangay Baliwasan for official inventory and marking, conducted in coordination with the Bureau of Customs Port of Zamboanga, Zamboanga City Police Station 8, and local media representatives.

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Police Brig. Gen. Elmer Ragay, PRO-9 Director, praised the operating units for their vigilance and reiterated the regional command’s intensified maritime security campaign.

READ: 697 fugitives nabbed, as drugs, smuggled goods seized in Mimaropa

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“This operation reflects our continuing commitment to strengthen coastal security and prevent the illegal movement of contraband through our territorial waters,” Ragay said in a statement.

“PRO 9 will remain vigilant and proactive, working closely with our partner agencies to detect, intercept, and prevent activities that undermine our laws, legitimate commerce, and the welfare of our communities.” /coa