GOVERNMENT operatives have arrested three people as they intercepted a boat loaded with P5.6 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in the province of Sulu, the police reported Thursday, June 23, 2022.

Police Colonel Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao (APC-WM), said arrested were Alman Hassan, boat skipper, and two crewmen, namely, Rajim Alih and Mudzmar Habibul Ajijul.

Verceles said the trio were arrested when policemen intercepted a motorboat loaded with smuggled cigarettes around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday off Indanan, Sulu.

The police team led by personnel of the Sulu Maritime Police Station seized from the motorboat 189 master cases of assorted undocumented cigarettes worth P5.6 million, according to Verceles.

He said the arrested crew, motorboat and contrabands were placed under the custody of the Sulu Maritime Police Station for proper disposition.(SunStar Zamboanga)