Photo courtesy of PNP
Police recovered suspected smuggled cigarettes worth more than Php 2.29 million in separate operations in Zamboanga City and Sulu, the Philippine National Police said.
The seizures were carried out on August 22 as authorities continued operations against the illegal movement and sale of tobacco products.
In Zamboanga City, police found 385 reams of cigarettes along the shoreline of Miramar Flamingo in Barangay Sinunuc.
The cigarettes recovered in Zamboanga City were valued at about Php 1.15 million. Personnel from Police Station 8, the 2nd City Mobile Force Company and the Regional Special Operations Unit 9 participated in the operation.
In Sulu, authorities separately recovered 20 master cases of suspected smuggled cigarettes near Sitio Maidan in Barangay Buansa, Indanan.
Police estimated the Sulu shipment at around Php 1.146 million, bringing the combined value of cigarettes recovered in the two operations to more than Php 2.29 million.
The PNP said the recovered cigarettes would be turned over for proper disposition in coordination with the appropriate government agencies.