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JOINT military and police forces arrested one person and seized a shipment of bomb-making components in a coordinated maritime interdiction operation in Zamboanga City, the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Poseidon said Monday, August 12, 2024.
Rear Admiral Francisco Tagamolila, Jr., JTF-Poseidon commander, said the bomb-making components’ shipment was seized in the evening of Sunday, August 11, in the seawaters off Rio Hondo, Zamboanga City.
Tagamolila said the joint team of military and policemen were conducting maritime patrol when they chanced upon a motorboat, with one crew aboard, sailing to the shore of Rio Hondo.
Tagamolila only identified the arrested crew as alias Moh, who was caught transporting 150 pieces of blasting caps, 24 meters of time fuse, and 87.5 kilograms (3 ½ sacks) of ammonium nitrate.
Tagamolila said the explosive components were intended for use in blast fishing, a destructive and illegal method that severely harms marine ecosystems.
The Naval Special Operations Unit 6’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team conducted a render-safe procedure to secure the seized items.
The apprehended suspect, Moh, along with the confiscated bomb-making components, were immediately turned over to the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company for further investigation.
“This successful operation demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated efforts among maritime and law enforcement agencies in safeguarding our waters and preventing the illegal use of explosives in fishing activities,” Tagamolila said.
Sunday’s confiscation of bomb-making components was the second shipment the authorities have intercepted in Zamboanga.
The first was on August 3, near the shore of Mariki village, Zamboanga City.
The JTF-Poseidon recovered from the abandoned motorboat 46 bottles of homemade explosives, 50 commercial blasting caps, and eight meters time fuse.
The JTF-Poseidon said that three persons escaped aboard one of the two motorboats and abandoned the other one which was found with explosives. (SunStar Zamboanga)