THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has seized at least P270,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes as the PCG heightened its anti-smuggling campaign in the southern part of the country.

Lieutenant Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, said the smuggled cigarettes shipment was intercepted around 6 a.m. Wednesday, September 19, at a private wharf in Baliwasan village, Zamboanga City.

Ramos said the shipment was intercepted after they received report that boxes of cigarettes are being unloaded from a wooden-hulled ferry at the private wharf.

He said the shipment, consisting of nine boxes of imported cigarettes with an estimated worth of P270,000 that reportedly came from Malaysia, was intercepted aboard a wooden-hulled ferry, M/B Cutter Wave.

He said the ferry is owned by Aimora Saluay, a resident of Lower Port Holland village, Maluso, Basilan, and skippered by Akli Saji.

The station commander said the confiscated smuggled cigarettes were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition. (SunStar Philippines)