JOINT police and marine troops have seized some P2.1 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Zamboanga City, the police reported.

Police Colonel Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao (APC-WM), said the smuggled cigarettes were seized around 1:17 p.m. Saturday, June 4, in Baliwasan village, Zamboanga City.

Verceles said the policemen and marine troops were manning a checkpoint when they intercepted a van driven by Almasil Akili, 27, loaded with undocumented cigarettes.

Prior to the confiscation, Verceles said the joint team has received information that a van loaded with smuggled cigarettes was heading to the city proper to deliver the contraband.

He said seized from the van were 50 master cases and 50 reams of cigarettes with no pertinent documents.

The estimated worth of the seized smuggled cigarettes is P2.1 million.

Verceles said the vehicle, smuggled cigarettes and the driver were placed under the temporary custody of the Zamboanga City Police Office’s Station 11 prior turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition. (SunStar Zamboanga)