ANTI-SMUGGLING OPS. Operatives of the Zamboanga City police and Police and Bureau of Customs (BOC) seize Tuesday (June 7, 2022) some P2.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in separate anti-smuggling operations in Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay province. The confiscated items were deposited at the BOC rented warehouse in Zamboanga City for safekeeping. (Photo courtesy of Police Regional Office-9)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have arrested seven people and seized some PHP2.9 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in separate operations in Zamboanga Sibugay and this city, officials said Wednesday.
Col. Albert Larubis, Zamboanga Sibugay police director, said suspects Akmad Isnain, 39, Muhaimen Muak, 29, Aljemar Abdurahim, 32, and Jerry Ibrahim Anduhol, 31, were caught in an intelligence-driven anti-smuggling operation around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Magdaup, Ipil municipality.
Larubis said the suspects yielded some 35 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth PHP525,000, two units of mobile phones, and a sports utility vehicle.
On the same day, Brig. Gen. Franco Simborio, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, said Rasiden Durano, 43, was driving a truck loaded with smuggled cigarettes when arrested at a checkpoint together with Denhar Akiran, 22, around 7:30 a.m. in Barangay San Roque here.
Upon inspection, Simborio said Durano's truck was found to be carrying some 50 master cases of smuggled Bros cigarettes worth PHP1.6 million.
The two suspects along with the truck containing smuggled cigarettes were turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Some four hours after, Simborio said Datu Jamal-Ruddin Kiram, 32, was also arrested while driving an SUV leaving a private wharf in Barangay Baliwasan in this city.
Simborio said the joint team of policemen and BOC operatives were on their way to the city port when they intercepted Kiram while emerging from the wharf’s compound.
He said Kiram’s vehicle was found loaded with 25 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth PHP800,000. (PNA)
