P14-million in smuggled cigarettes intercepted at Samal Island
LAW ENFORCERS intercepted nearly P14 million worth of smuggled cigarettes loaded on a jukung boat at Barangay Camudmud, Island Garden City of Samal, on Sunday evening, July 9.
Captain June Steve Puno, Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao public affairs officer, credited the Naval Task Force 71 through BA492 of the 4th Boat Attack Division and Naval Special Operations Unit 7, and the Bureau of Customs XI for the huge accomplishment.
Puno identified the apprehended boat as FB ALYASRA-2, transporting a total of 468 master cases of Canon brand smuggled cigarettes with an aggregated street value of P13,806,000.
According to the initial report, the goods were transported from Sulu and supposedly bound for Davao before authorities intercepted the boat.
The ten crew members were taken to Camp Panacan Hospital for a routine checkup while the vessel is now in the custody of the Naval Station Felix Apolinario. They face a charge
Last year, Rep. Jericho Nograles (Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta) cited Euromonitor International’s report that 13% of the cigarettes sold in the Philippines did not pass through customs.
Nograles added that cigarette smuggling results in yearly losses of P26-billion for the country’s coffers.
