LAWMEN have arrested two individuals and seized some P1.6 million worth of contraband in a law enforcement operation in Zamboanga City, the police said Friday, August 15, 2025.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Laguros, chief of the Regional Maritime Unit-Zamboanga Peninsula, said the shipment of smuggled cigarettes was seized during a checkpoint operation around 12:45 a.m. Friday, August 15, in Sta. Catalina village, Zamboanga City.
Laguros said the smuggled cigarettes were loaded in a wing van truck labeled as “parcels.”
“Based on the investigation, the cargo came from a warehouse in Barangay Catalina, Zamboanga City, and was scheduled to be delivered to various locations in the city,” Laguros said.
He added that the two arrested individuals claimed they only learned the vehicle was loaded with smuggled cigarettes, as they were not allowed to enter the warehouse in accordance with the “No Touch Policy.”
Seized from the wing van truck were 557 reams of smuggled cigarettes worth P1,638,322.
Laguros said the successful operation is part of the PNP Maritime Group’s intensified campaign against smuggling to protect the economy and public health, as well as to ensure fair trade. (SunStar Zamboanga)