ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have arrested four people, including a businessman, and seized smuggled cigarettes in an anti-smuggling operation in Zamboanga del Norte, a police official said Monday.
Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the cigarettes were seized while being transported around 8:30 p.m. Sunday in the coastal area of Barangay Cawit-Cawit, Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte.
Verceles identified those arrested as businessman as John Warrad, 36, of Barangay Poblacion, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi; Bensuhod Kalinggalan, 38; Jetli Quirino, 45; and Danny Lilayle, 42, all of Maluso, Basilan.
Verceles said the arrest happened when combined police and military personnel responded to a report that a motorboat powered by three engines loaded with contrabands was seen on the coast of Barangay Cawi-Cawit, Sibuco.
He said that aside from the motorboat, also seized from the four were 80 reams of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth PHP290,000, and one reserved unit of a 16-horsepower engine.
He said the suspects and confiscated smuggled cigarettes were placed under the custody of Sibuco Municipal Police Station for proper disposition. (PNA)
The Philippine News Agency is a web-based newswire service of the Philippine government under the supervision of the News and Information Bureau (NIB) of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).