A TOTAL OF P112.69 million worth of undocumented imported cigarettes were seized in a joint anti-smuggling operation in Zamboanga City, the police said, Friday, October 2, 2026.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Field Office-9 (CIDG FO-9) said the contrabands were seized Thursday, October 1, in Sitio Tala, Lumbangan village, Zamboanga City.
The operatives discovered a storage room containing 367 master cases and 90 reams of assorted import cigarettes during the initial phase of the anti-smuggling operation, according to the CIDG FO-9.
“Further inspection of the area led to the discovered of an underground storage facility containing an additional 337 master cases and 392 reams of undocumented cigarettes,” the CIDG FO-9 said.
In total, the anti-smuggling operation resulted to the confiscation of 704 master cases and 482 reams of undocumented imported cigarettes with an estimated market value of P112,686,535.37.
Lawyer Manuel Zurbito, Bureau of Customs-Port of Zamboanga district collector, said the confiscated cigarettes were brought to their rented warehouse for safekeeping.
The undocumented cigarettes violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.
Both the CIDG and BOC did not release the identity of the owner of the house where the undocumented cigarettes were seized during the joint anti-smuggling operation.
The CIDG FO-9 launched in anti-smuggling operation together with the BOC, and different police units. (SunStar Zamboanga)