POLICEMEN have arrested three persons and seized another shipment of smuggled cigarettes in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, an official said Friday, April 1.
Police Colonel Albert Larubis, Zamboanga Sibugay police director, said the smuggled cigarettes were intercepted around 5:35 p.m. Thursday, March 31, in Bulaan village, Buug.
Larubis identified those arrested as Benhar Arasa, 43, Mahadi Kadil, 31, and Ottoh Apas, 66.
Larubis said the policemen were conducting checkpoint operation when they flagged down a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) driven by Arasa, a resident of Rio Hondo village, Zamboanga City.
Upon inspection, Larubis said the SUV was found to be loaded with some P210,000 worth of undocumented cigarettes.
He said the Arasa and his two companions failed to show documents to prove legality of the cigarettes' transport.
He said Arasa and his two companions and the confiscated items were placed under the temporary custody of the 1st Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Mobile Force Company.
The confiscation Thursday, March 31, of smuggled cigarettes was the third this week in Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay.
The first was on Sunday, March 27, and the second was on Tuesday, March 29. (SunStar Zamboanga)