P150m fags seized in Tawi-Tawi

Tawi Tawi: More than three thousand boxes of cigarettes illegally brought into the country from Indonesia, estimated to be worth P150 million, were intercepted in the waters off Simunul town, Tawi-Tawi province last November 6.

Commodore Toribio Adaci Jr., commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said the boat carrying the smuggled cigarettes was supposed to dock in a private wharf in Indanan town, Sulu.

The Navy was tipped about the boatload of contraband cigarettes, prompting the operation on Friday.

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Adaci said that the usual operation of smugglers is to drop off the contrabands in bulk in one place and then deploy several smaller boats to bring these to various parts of western Mindanao. The vessel that carried some P150 million worth of contraband cigarettes into the country is being refuelled in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi before traveling to Zamboanga City.

The boat, with its eight crew members, and the contraband cargo were headed to Zamboanga City.

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Adaci said the boat crew was headed by a certain Sahibul Hiyang Sirajan, a Filipino.

The contraband will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs Region 9, Adaci added.