CONTRABAND. A cop inspects the boxes containing PHP5.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes that were confiscated from five suspects on a motorboat in Barangay Tigtabon, Zamboanga City on Saturday (Jan. 21, 2023). The shipment reportedly came from the town of Jolo in Sulu province. (Courtesy of 2ZCMFC) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Authorities have arrested five people and seized some PHP5.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes near an island village here early Saturday. Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the suspects were on a motorboat when apprehended at around 6:32 a.m. Saturday near Barangay Tigtabon. Verceles identified the five suspects as skipper Saham Sahisa, 40; and his crew, Nasri Hussam, 40; Alnasri Mawadi, 25; Usman Samla, 51; and, Alkimar Mijan, 25, all residents of Barangay Arena Blanco. The 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company (2ZCMFC) and Bureau of Customs personnel on patrol spotted the motorboat marked "Aljadi" after receiving information that a shipment of smuggled cigarettes is set to arrive from Jolo, the capital of Sulu province. Col. Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office director, said the motorboat was loaded with 158 master cases of assorted brand of cigarettes worth PHP5.53 million. The five failed to present documents of the cargo they were transporting. They were then placed under the custody of the 2ZCMFC for documentation and will be turned over to Customs for proper disposition. (PNA) }
SMUGGLED CIGARETTES. A police dog sniffs boxes of cigarettes seized by joint police and Bureau of Customs operatives in Zamboanga City on Friday afternoon (Oct. 8, 2021). The 137 master cases of the smuggled items worth PHP4.7 million and the eight crewmen of two motorboats reportedly bound for Cotabato City are under Customs custody. (Photo courtesy of the ZCPO-PIO) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Policemen and Bureau of Customs (BOC) operatives here seized some PHP4.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested eight suspects, a top police official announced Saturday. Col. Rexmel Reyes, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO), said the 2nd City Mobile Force Company and BOC operatives were on seaborne patrol when they intercepted two motorboats around 1 p.m. Friday near Manalipa Island, east of this city. Reyes said the motorboats, locally known as jungkong, were found to be loaded with 137 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth PHP4,795,000. "The two motorboats came from Jolo, Sulu and were reportedly bound for Cotabato," Reyes said in his report to Brig. Gen Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, the Director of Police Regional Office-9. Reyes said one of the two motorboats, Az-Zhahir, was manned by a five-man crewcomposed of Sublaiman Kahal Hali, 22; Nurhusin Nadduha Habi, 28; Abdilsa Allus Ottok, 22; Nasri Habi Kayeh, 27; and, Saniboy Kahal Habi, 17, all of Lantawan, Basilan. Az-Zhahir was carrying 48 master cases of San Marino cigarettes, five master cases of Union, and 34 master cases of Cannon cigarettes. Barangay Talon-talon residents Minajar Alaji Nawadi, 34; Kennedy Aliuddin Nawadi, 41; and, Epik Nawadi Alli were on the other motorboat, MF/V Mernalyn-2, that carried master cases of Fort (34) and Cannon (16) cigarettes. Operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted visual inspection and paneling on the confiscated items but found no presence of illegal drugs. All the confiscated cigarettes, the two motorboats, and crewmen were turned over to the BOC. (PNA) }