Alleged gun smuggling: Customs, Immigration check records for 'owners' of yacht

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs in Cebu is working on identifying the alleged owner of the yacht used by suspected gun smugglers in moving high-powered rifles from a cargo vessel in Bataan Province.

The guns were seized by authorities and it was learned that the yacht was registered under the name of a certain Dave Smith of Cebu Tranquila Realty.

A highly-placed official from BOC-Cebu said that they already received a request from their head office to check the identity of the alleged owners of the yacht.

Aside from Smith, it is also reportedly owned by a certain Bryan Gilt of Aqua Venture White Tip reportedly based in Cebu City.

A check with the Bureau of Immigration-Cebu Office showed that there are several people with the name Dave Smith listed, but they could not yet ascertain which one of them is the man in question.

The BI also suspects that the name might have just been a phony.

They also don’t have any record of Bryan Gilt.

Mandaue City Administrator Briccio Boholst said that they do not have any records for a Dave Smith, who owns a business in the city.

His name also does not appear in the list of those with pending applications for a business permit.

The 50 Galil rifles, which are said to cost P300,000 each reportedly came from Turkey. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Flor Z. Perolina/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)