ZAMBOANGA CITY (November 20) — Police confiscated P806,195 worth of smuggled cigarettes in Basilan and Maguindanao del Sur on Tuesday, in what authorities say is another sign of the steady flow of untaxed tobacco products into rural Mindanao.
Police Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman of PRO-BAR said the bulk of the haul—valued at P588,750—was discovered in Maluso, Basilan, after patrollers found an abandoned motorboat loaded with 15 boxes of assorted cigarettes at Port Holland.
In Maguindanao del Sur, police arrested a 27-year-old man known as Ruston after he allegedly sped past a checkpoint in South Upi and was later stopped near the Lebak boundary. Inside his SUV, officers seized 277 reams of smuggled cigarettes worth P217,445. Ruston failed to present transport documents, making him liable under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The seized goods were turned over to local police and the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition. Authorities say the operations highlight persistent smuggling routes that continue to undermine community livelihoods and deprive local governments of much-needed revenue.
Police vowed tighter land and sea patrols in the BARMM corridor, especially as the holiday season—traditionally a busy period for illicit trade—approaches.
