SAILORS of the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) have seized some P16.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested eight individuals off Basilan, an official said Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
Rear Admiral Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr., commander of WMNC, said the shipment of smuggled cigarettes was seized on Monday, October 20, in the waters of Basilan province.
Reyes said the sailors were conducting routine maritime patrol when they detected a suspicious fishing vessel with covered cargo and immediately conducted verification and boarding.
"Inspection confirmed the vessel was transporting illicit goods," Reyes said in his report.
He said the intercepted vessel, identified as F/B Guess and owned by Alhamin Bandahala of Jolo, Sulu, was manned by eight crew members who failed to present valid documents for 300 master cases of foreign-branded cigarettes.
He said a joint inventory placed the market value of the seized smuggled cigarettes at P16.5 million. The fishing vessel is worth P1 million.
The confiscated cargo and fishing vessel were brought to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Zamboanga City and turned over to the Bureau of Customs-Port of Zamboanga for proper disposition. (SunStar Zamboanga)