The Philippine Coast Guard confiscated an estimated Php 7.1 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during an anti-smuggling operation along the coast of Zamboanga City on Thursday.
The Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao said the operation was carried out along the shoreline of Barangay Cawit after authorities received information that illegal cigarettes were being unloaded from a motorboat.
Coast Guard personnel immediately responded to the area to verify the report and intercept the suspected smuggling activity.
However, the suspects fled toward open waters after noticing the presence of law enforcers, leaving the shipment behind before authorities could apprehend them.
The Coast Guard launched a pursuit operation, but the fleeing vessel managed to escape as rough sea conditions hampered interception efforts.
Authorities recovered about 110 master cases of assorted cigarettes believed to have been smuggled into the country. The seized shipment was estimated to be worth around Php 7.1 million.
No arrests were made during the operation as the individuals behind the shipment were able to evade capture.
The confiscated cigarettes were brought to the Coast Guard Station in Zamboanga for inventory before being turned over to the Bureau of Customs, which will conduct further investigation into the attempted smuggling.