THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized some P25.81 million worth of contraband in four separate law enforcement operations at the Port of Zamboanga throughout July.
The BOC-Port of Zamboanga said the confiscated items include smuggled cigarettes, environmentally restricted marine materials, and four vehicles used in the attempted transport of illicit goods.
The anti-smuggling operations were jointly carried out by the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), and personnel from the Office of the District Collector.
“These coordinated efforts resulted in the confiscation of 370 master cases of smuggled cigarettes and 250 sacks of white sand containing broken corals after the drivers failed to present import documents and other required permits,” the BOC-Port of Zamboanga said.
It said warrants of seizure and detention (WSDs) were issued for all four confiscations in violation of the “Tobacco Exportation and Importation Rules and Regulations” implemented by the National Tobacco Administration (NTA), pursuant to Executive Order No. 245 and Section 117 of Republic Act No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), in relation to Section 1113, paragraphs (a) and (f).
The seizure of marine materials also violated Section 110 of R.A. 7942 (Philippine Mining Act of 1995) and Batas Pambansa Bilang 265.
The BOC-Port of Zamboanga has placed the smuggled items and the vehicles used to transport them under forfeiture proceedings, as it initiates a case build-up to identify and charge those behind these unlawful acts. (SunStar Zamboanga)