In a successful anti-smuggling operation, law enforcement officials in Zamboanga Sibugay confiscated smuggled cigarettes valued at PHP15.3 million and apprehended a 25-year-old laborer. The operation, which took place early Tuesday morning at around 3:40 a.m. in Purok 4, Barangay Laih, Siay, was a collaborative effort between the Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) and the Bureau of Customs.
During the raid, authorities seized a total of 261 master cases, 314 reams, and 33 packs of various smuggled cigarette brands. Brig. Gen. Bowenn Joey Masauding, the director of PRO-9, emphasized the police force’s ongoing commitment to tackling illegal smuggling and other criminal activities within the region.
The suspect was taken into custody, and the confiscated cigarettes were brought to the Siay Municipal Police Station for further processing and documentation. Masauding highlighted the significance of such coordinated efforts in the fight against the illegal importation and distribution of contraband goods, underscoring the need for continued vigilance and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.