THE value of contraband the authorities have seized in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Miondanao (Barmm) on the first two days of June climbed to P1.6 million, as they confiscated anew around P941,500 worth of smuggled cigarettes in Basilan, the police said Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
Police Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) director, said the smuggled cigarettes were seized around 1:40 p.m. Monday, June 2, in Sitio Kapisanan, Taberlongan village, Maluso, Basilan.
Macapaz said the joint police and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit operatives stumbled on the stockpile of smuggled cigarettes in a hut when they launched an anti-drug surveillance operation in Sitio Kapisanan, Taberlongan village.
Macapaz said the operatives have seized 51 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P941,500.
He said they have launched an investigation to identify the owner of the stockpiled smuggled cigarettes.
He said the confiscated smuggled cigarettes are now in the custody of Maluso Municipal Police Station for proper documentation and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for appropriate legal disposition.
On Sunday, June 1, lawmen seized a shipment of P740,000 smuggled cigarettes in Sitio Barrio Militar, Walled City village, Jolo, Sulu, bringing the total of the confiscated contraband to P1.6 million.
The personnel from the Jolo Municipal Police Station were conducting routine mobile patrol when they chanced upon a multi-purpose utility vehicle loaded with 20 master cases of smuggled cigarettes with P740,000.
Macapaz commended the operating units for their coordinated actions that led to the successful anti-smuggled operations.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities in support of peace, order, and development in Barmm. (SunStar Zamboanga)