THE Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-MG) have seized some P1.2 million worth of contraband as they arrested two individuals in separate law enforcement operations in Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu over the weekend, the police said.
In Zamboanga City, Operatives of the PNP-MG have arrested alias Naj and seized some 15 master cases of assorted cigarettes worth P1,009,500 for violation of the Graphic Health Warnings Law.
The PNP-MG said its personnel were conducting monitoring and foot patrol at the main public market of Zamboanga City when they chanced upon Naj unloading master cases of cigarettes from a vehicle.
Meanwhile, in Zamboanga del Sur, the composite team of PNP-MG has arrested alias Ansar and seized assorted cigarettes worth P23,000 for similar violation.
The PNP-MG said the composite team of policemen was conducting seaborne patrol in Yllana Bay when the arrested Ansar.
Also confiscated was a woodenmotorboat powered by a 13 horse power engine.
On the other hand, personnel of the Sulu Maritime Police Station (Marpsta) were conducting a routine foot patrol when they received information regarding an unattended luggage and boxes in the vicinity of a shipping firm office in downtown Jolo, the capital of Sulu province.
Upon inspection, the PNP-MG said that the luggage and boxes were found to contain undocumented assorted brand of cigarettes worth P241,500.
No one was arrested as the owned abandoned the luggage and boxes of cigarettes upon sensing the arrival of the Maritime policemen.
The confiscated cigarettes were brought to the Sulu Marpsta for proper documentation and proper turn-over to the Bureau of Customs for appropriate disposition. (SunStar Zamboanga)