MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen boxes of smuggled cigarettes worth P625,000 were seized off Lamitan City, Basilan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Friday.
The smuggled items, on board MPB Kumalah, were seized by the PCG Station Basih-Balan. PCG learned that the boat departed Jolo, Sulu.
An anti-smuggling operation was conducted after an intelligence report revealed that undocumented cargoes aboard a vessel will be offloaded in Barangay Matibay, Lamitan City.
The operation led to the confiscation of the smuggled cigarettes and the arrest of four MPB Kumalah crew members.
The smuggled goods and arrested individuals underwent inspection, inventory, and profiling at the PCG Sub-Station Lamitan.
Despite having valid certificates, the vessel violated the Department of Transportation Memorandum Circular No. 2017-001 for lacking proper markings, according to PCG.
The Bureau of Customs received the smuggled items for documentation, destruction, and disposal. The agency will also file appropriate charges against the erring crew members.
The MPB Kumalah was placed under the custody of PCG Basih-Balan.
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