Customs seizes P120-M worth of smuggled cigarettes seized in Tawi-Tawi

More than P120 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were recently intercepted in Tawi-Tawi, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said.

The bureau said a vessel, which was carrying the shipment from Indonesia, was seized on Nov. 6 by its operatives from the Port of Zamboanga.

The operation stemmed from an information it received about a vessel, M/L Nur 1 departing from Indonesia en route to Indanan, Sulu.

“Guided by the Intelligence Group, the information was then relayed to the Customs personnel in Taganak Island, Tawi Tawi for validation and coordination,” the BOC said in a statement.

An operation was then launched against the vessel by the bureau’s anti-smuggling team, in cooperation with the Naval Intelligence and Security Unit – Zamboanga, Naval Forces Western Mindanao, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, Philippine Marines, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and other intelligence operatives.

https://www.untvweb.com/news/customs-seizes-p120-m-worth-of-smuggled-cigarettes-seized-in-tawi-tawi/