Customs seizes P7.3M worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes in Zamboanga City

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has confiscated P7.3 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes along the waters of Manalipa island in Zamboanga City.

In a statement on Wednesday, the BOC said Customs operatives from the Port of Zamboanga, in coordination with the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company “Seaborne” and W2 Tactical Operations Wing Western Mindanao, Philippine Air Force, conducted a joint maritime patrol operation.

The patrol led to the interception of a wooden motorized watercraft, locally known as “jungkong”, marked as “FB Hayarana” on July 8, 2023.

The BOC said the jungkong was loaded with 203 master cases and 66 reams of assorted cigarettes of various brands: Modern, New Far, Fort, Cannon and San Marino.

The six crew members failed to present documents that could prove the regularity of prior importation of the subject cigarettes, and subsequent transport to Zamboanga City, it added.

The BOC said the apprehended vessel and its contents are under the custody of the bureau for proper disposition in violation of Section 1113 (a) of R.A. 10863 otherwise known as the “Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) of 2016 in relation to Section 117 and “Tobacco Exportation and Importation Rules and Regulations." —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA Integrated News