ZAMBOANGA CITY (October 1) – The Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) confiscated a large consignment of illegal goods worth millions of pesos off Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, a top officer said Tuesday.
The shipment was captured on Monday near Pandukan Island in Pangutaran, Sulu, according to WMNC commander Rear Adm. Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr.
“The sailors manning BRP-Juan Magluyan (PC-392) were conducting maritime patrol when they spotted a wooden-hulled vessel named M/L Fatima Radzna-Juliet anchored in a lagoon,” Reyes reported.
When investigated, the vessel, manned by a 10-man crew, was found to be loaded with various contraband from Malaysia, including:
— 3,000 sacks of rice
— 400 bags of refined sugar
— 200 boxes of biscuits
— 300 boxes of noodles
— 100 cases of bottled water
— Two boxes of coffee and two boxes of soy sauce
The WMNC officers suspect some of the commodities had already been unloaded because the vessel was docked in a lagoon at the time of the arrest.
The vessel and its contents were transported to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Barangay Calarian, Zamboanga City, for processing and delivery to the appropriate government authorities.
