ILLEGAL SHIPMENT. Joint team of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company (2ZCMFC) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) seize a shipment of some P11.2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes off Zamboanga City on Thursday (August 5, 2021). Photo shows a K9 unit of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) inspecting its contents for illegal drugs. (Photo courtesy of the 2ZCMFC)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Joint police and Bureau of Customs (BOC) operatives have seized another shipment of some PHP11.2 million worth of assorted smuggled cigarettes off the waters of Tumalutap Island, this city, a top police official announced Friday.
This came a day after the same team of lawmen consisting of 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company (2ZCMFC) and BOC operatives seized some PHP4.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes here.
Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, said the shipment was seized around 3:30 a.m. Thursday east of Tumalutap Island, one of the 11 islands east of this city.
Ylagan said the operatives were on maritime patrol when they chanced upon two wooden watercraft locally known as “jungkong”, namely, F/B Afiyah Gladiator and F/B Five Sisters.
Ylagan said the F/B Afiyah Gladiator, skippered by Albasir Akarab, 33, with three crewmen, was found loaded with 152 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes consisting of 10 master cases of Premiex Red; 10 master cases of Premiex White; 60 master cases of Astro Red; 24 master cases of Cannon Menthol; 20 master cases of Fort Menthol; 20 master cases of Champion Menthol; and eight master cases of Champion Red.
Akarab’s crew were identified as Albasir Sakib, 30; Idris Kadaffi Masarani, 42; and, Sahaddi Lakibul, 42.
The F/B Five Sisters, slippered by Haydil Sarapuddin, 24, with a seven-man crew, was loaded with 169 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes which consist of 27 master cases of Fort Menthol, 42 master cases of Astro Red, 79 master cases of Champion Menthol and 21 Master cases of San Marino Black Menthol.
Sarapuddin’s crew were identified as Al-Shahid Bahang Adjad, 33; Amilussin Susulan, 22; Musa Julapli, 22; Alnibar Baladji, 20; Al Khalid Nurhasan Marrack, 36; Zuercar Atibing, 30.
He said the two watercraft were carrying a total of 321 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes with an estimated market value of PHP11,235,000. The contrabands came from Jolo, Sulu, and bound for Ipil, the capital of Zamboanga Sibugay province.
The skippers and crewmen failed to present pertinent papers to the operatives.
Ylagan said the 2ZCMFC, BOC, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) conducted visual inspection and paneling on the confiscated items.
He said the two watercraft, cigarettes, and crewmen were turned over to the custody of BOC for proper disposition.
Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, the joint police and BOC team seized a shipment of smuggled cigarettes worth PHP4.5 million and arrested seven people also near Tumalutap Island. (PNA)
