IMPORTED cigarettes worth P2.1 million believed to be smuggled into the country were confiscated by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel in a port in Barangay Mainit, Oslob town, southern Cebu at 7:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, 2022.
The packs of cigarettes placed underneath cans of sardines inside the cartons with markings “United Menthol” were believed to have come from Malaysia.
The PCG’s Intelligence Group Central Visayas immediately conducted an operation to intercept the goods after receiving information about the smuggled goods from a concerned citizen.
The smuggled goods were reportedly transported from Zamboanga and sneaked into Dapitan port, then toward Mainit.
Nobody came forward to claim the shipment or present the documents needed for its release.
The seized items were turned over to the Bureau of Customs.