SMUGGLED CIGARETTES. Policemen together with Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel intercept two watercraft and seize some P5.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes Wednesday (Sep. 29, 2021) off the waters of Zamboanga City. One of the watercraft was a “jungkong” type motorboat with a four-man crew, while the other was manned by a five-man crew and loaded with 162 master cases of undocumented cigarettes. (Photo courtesy of the Zamboanga City Police Office Public Information Office)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Joint police and Bureau of Customs (BOC) operatives have seized some PHP5.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in the waters off this city, a top police official said Thursday.
Col. Rexmel Reyes, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said the smuggled cigarettes were seized around noon Wednesday southeast of Tumalutap Island, here.
Reyes said the joint police and BOC operatives have launched seaborne patrol and intercepted two watercraft manned by nine crew following receipt of information about an inbound shipment of cigarettes from nearby Basilan province.
Reyes said one of the watercraft is a “jungkong” type of motorboat named November Rain with a four-man crew while the other, M/V Adzmie Boy, was manned by a five-man crew and loaded with 162 master cases of undocumented cigarettes.
The November Rain crewmen were identified as Henry Adjilani, 59 (skipper); Alih Pusung, 24; Rasid Asmara, 18; and, Sajel Askalani, 26.
M/V Adzmie Boy was manned by Adzmin Sawadjaan, 50 (skipper and owner); Al Hailil, 28; Mijar Middun, 23; Middun Hasim, 64; and Lacson Jawharan, 33.
Reyes said the confiscated smuggled cigarettes consisted of 73 master cases of New Berlin; 27, Bravo Red; 28, Astro Red; five, Fort Menthol; 24, Cannon Menthol; and, five, Astro Menthol.
He said the confiscated cigarettes were turned over to the BOC for proper disposition.
He lauded the operating unit for the successful anti-smuggling operations and assured the public that the ZCPO will remain steadfast in the fight against all forms of illegal activities. (PNA)
