P1.4 billion smuggled cigarettes seized in Sulu
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Up to 19,000 master cases or 9.5 million packs of smuggled cigarettes worth P1.425 billion were seized in a raid on a warehouse in Indanan, Sulu on Thursday.
Personnel of the Bureau of Customs and Western Mindanao Command raided the warehouse in Sitio Buotan in Barangay Kajatian, BOC Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy said.
“We have been receiving intelligence reports about a big volume of contraband being kept in the area. That prompted us to conduct the raid,” Uy said.
The seized items were transported to this city by a ship of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao for inventory, forfeiture proceedings and destruction.
Uy said it was the biggest haul to date of smuggled cigarettes in the region.
Last week, 9,500 master cases of smuggled cigarettes were seized at BJ Wharf, also in Indanan.
Uy said the confiscated items translate to P11.4 billion in potential revenue losses in excise and value-added taxes as well as penalties.
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