ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Navy seals and police operatives intercepted a motorlaunch loaded with suspected smuggled rice with estimated local market value of P3 million off the waters of this city, according to police.
The Zamboanga City Police Office said the operatives of the naval Special Warfare Action Group (SWAG) intercepted the M/L Anraiza about 8:30 p.m Tuesday, navigating towards the coast of this city.
The wooden hulled transport watercraft was escorted to the wharf of the Philippine Ports Authority and turned over to the joint elements of the coastguard and police led by Senior Inspector Odessa Rubia Yaral who were conducting anti-rice smuggling operations in the area.
The operatives immediately conducted the procedural board and inspection and discovered the watercraft was loaded with more than 3,000 sacks of rice, containing 25 kilos of the commodity each.
Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, Spokesman of Police Regional Office 9 (PRO), said the shipment of rice reportedly came from Jolo, Sulu.
He said further investigation disclosed that the skipper failed to present pertinent documents for the transport of the commodity, but the latter said official receipts were in the possession of the owner of the rice.
The apprehended rice cargo and the motorlaunch was turned over to the customs district officer for proper inventory and custody while waiting for the owner to present proper documents.