Sailors from the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) achieved a major anti-smuggling success on Monday by confiscating PHP23 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arresting five individuals off the coast of Sulu, officials reported Tuesday.
Rear Admiral Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr., WMNC commander, said the contraband was seized near Pandukan Island, Pangutaran, Sulu, during a maritime patrol aboard the BRP-Herminigildo Yurong. The naval personnel intercepted a motorboat manned by five crew members.
“This successful operation is another clear message to smugglers and lawless elements that our seas are not safe havens for illegal activities,” Reyes said. “WMNC, together with our inter-agency partners, remains steadfast in protecting our maritime domain and our communities.”
The seized cargo included 400 master cases of assorted foreign-brand smuggled cigarettes. The identities of the five arrested crew members are being withheld pending further investigation.
The motorboat and its cargo were brought to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Zamboanga City and turned over to the Bureau of Customs.
This confiscation followed another operation a day earlier, when the BRP-Herminigildo Yurong arrested two individuals and seized PHP2.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes off Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.
Reyes affirmed that WMNC will continue to enhance maritime security efforts under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) to keep the seas of Western Mindanao safe and secure.Copy message