PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) personnel backed by K-9 units have intercepted P1.1 million worth of illegally-shipped firecrackers, an official said Thursday.
Captain Perfecto Eden, commander of the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station (ZCGS), said the firecrackers' shipment was intercepted Wednesday at the port of Zamboanga.
Eden said the PCG personnel were conducting an inspection aboard M/V Trisia Kerstin, which is scheduled to depart for Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, when they uncovered the illegal shipment of firecrackers.
Eden said the firecrackers were concealed in 59 big carton boxes with markings school supplies.
He said each of the boxes contained 60 packs of firecrackers with trademark “Great Bawang” made from Angat, Bulacan with an estimated market value of P1.1 million.
He said no one among the passengers have come forward and claimed ownership of the firecrackers.
The confiscated firecrackers will be turned over to the Philippine National Police' Civil Security Group for proper disposition, Eden said.(Bong Garcia)