Navy seizes P526 million smuggled cigarettes

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Naval forces foiled an attempt to smuggle P526 million worth of untaxed cigarettes aboard two motorboats off the coast of Basilan last week, the Western Mindanao Naval Command announced yesterday.

The WMNC said 21 crewmembers of the two boats were held, along with the 3,916 master cases of assorted cigarette brands.

Rear Adm. Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr., WMNC commander, said members of the Naval Task Force 61 intercepted M/B Zhyzhy, which was cruising toward a private port in Basilan on Wednesday.

On inspection, the task force found 2,519 master cases of untaxed cigarettes worth P317,352,637. The boat’s 14 crewmen were arrested.

The Naval Task Force 61 intercepted another vessel, JTK Express, on Friday at the vicinity of Matanal Point in Hadji Mohammad Ajul town in Basilan and found 1,400 master cases of foreign-branded cigarettes during inspection.

“The boat captain and six crewmen were unable to provide legal importation permits or cargo clearance. A joint physical inventory conducted last Saturday placed the value of the seized cargo and vessel at P208,947,243,” Reyes said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested 10 people in connection with the seizure of P40 million worth of illicit cigarettes in Negros Oriental. 

In a joint statement, the PCG and PNP said its personnel intercepted a jongkong boat off Basay town in Negros Oriental on May 16 and found 700 master cases of cigarettes with unauthorized tax seals.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act were filed against the 10 men. — John Unson, Evelyn Macairan