TWO suspects were arrested while some P392,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized by lawmen in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, the police reported.

Police Colonel Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, identified the arrested suspects as Alnaser Arasad, 22, and Alshadeen Jayyari, 24, both residents of Arena Blanco village, Zamboanga City.

Verceles said they were arrested around 11 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, in Purok 5, Damit village, Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.

He said the policemen of Bayog were conducting checkpoint when they flagged down a vehicle driven by Arasad for inspection.

Verceles said the vehicle was found to be loaded with some 784 reams of cigarettes worth P392,000.

He added that Arasad and Jayyari were arrested and the shipment seized after they failed to present documents for the transport of the merchandize. (SunStar Zamboanga)