POLICEMEN together with Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel have seized some P1.6 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested three people off Zamboanga City, a top police official announced Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Police Colonel Rexmel Reyes, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said the shipment of smuggled cigarettes was seized around 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 2, near Tumalutap, an island village east of Zamboanga City.

Reyes said the joint team of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company (2ZCMFC) and BOC was conducting seaborne and border control operation when they intercepted a motorboat named “Sacrifice” manned by three-man crew.

Reyes identified the three crew were identified as Udi Monib, the skipper, and his assistants, Garry Sajarul, 22, and Yaser Mohammad, 23.

When inspected, Reyes said the motorboat was found loaded with 47 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes with an estimated market value of P1,645,000.

The motorboat crew failed to show any pertinent documents of the cigarette shipment that came from Jolo, Sulu and bound for the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, according to Reyes.

He said the confiscated smuggled cigarettes consisted of 11 master cases of Fort white, 25 master cases of Astro Red and 11 master cases of Cannon.

He said the confiscated cigarettes, including the motorboat and crewmen, were turned over to the BOC for proper disposition. (SunStar Zamboanga)