GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police recovered at least 33 boxes of smuggled cigarettes from Indonesia worth around PHP660,000 in an operation at a coastal village here early on Monday.
Senior Insp. Davis Dulawan, chief of Tambler police station, said Tuesday they intercepted the illegal items while being transported by three suspects aboard a motorized banca at a portion of Purok Puting Bato in Barangay Calumpang at past 2 a.m.
He identified the arrested suspects as Ellio Adelbert Alamia, Nader Malik Tanjing and Indonesian national Roger Segismel Malik Tanjingna.
The official said they earlier received information from concerned residents regarding a shipment of smuggled goods from Indonesia.
He said the banca was initially spotted at a portion of Kulasi in Barangay Labangal and later moved to Calumpang.
"These were smuggled into the area via the backdoor route from Indonesia," Dulawan told reporters.
He was referring to the traditional transport route connecting the Sangihe Islands in Indonesia to nearby provinces of Sarangani and Davao Occidental, and this city.
Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, Region 12 police director, lauded the recovery of the smuggled cigarettes, which were composed of Garam and Gudang Baru premium brands.
He attributed the seizure to their intensified security operations in areas covered by the southern "backdoor" route.
Aside from smuggled goods, he said the route had been used as entry points by suspected terrorist cells from nearby countries.
Morales said they have coordinated with the Philippine Navy for the conduct of intensified patrols in the coastal areas and the seas off the city and the neighboring areas.
"We're focused right now on securing the vast coast lines of southern Mindanao,” he said.
Morales, who led the opening of the boxes at the city police, said they will immediately turn over the seized smuggled items to the Bureau of Customs. (PNA)
