THE Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Navforwem) has intercepted in Sulu sea a wooden hulled vessel loaded with P150 million worth of smuggled cigarettes, a Navy official said.

Rear Admiral Erick Kagaoan, Navforwem commander, said the vessel, M/L 3 Brothers, was intercepted around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, October 27, east of Tara Island, Siasi, Sulu.

Kagaoan said the operatives Naval Task Group-Sulu were conducting seaborne patrol when they sighted the vessel loaded with some 10,000 master cases of smuggled cigarettes with an estimated worth of P150 million.

Kagaoan said the seaborne patrol was conducted in response to an intelligence report that a contraband shipment is set to arrive from Malaysia.

He said the vessel and its cargo were taken to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Zamboanga City and were later turned over to the Bureau of Customs. (SunStar Zamboanga)