Cotabato City: Navy teams in Philippines have intercepted and seized smuggled sugar and other items worth P63.9 million in a series of maritime operations conducted over the past three weeks in the waters off Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, reported philstar Global.
Police officials from both provinces confirmed on Saturday, January 24, that units under the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) carried out the operations and also took possession of three small boats used to transport the illegal goods.
Authorities said one of the seized boats was carrying sugar and rice worth P45.4 million that had been brought in from Malaysia. The remaining two boats were found loaded with cigarettes valued at P18.5 million, which originated from Indonesia.
According to WMNC officials and Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Donald Gumiran, the vessels were en route to Sulu, passing through the waters of Tawi-Tawi in the Bangsamoro region, when they were intercepted in separate operations. Local government officials from both provinces assisted in the successful interceptions.
In a statement released by the WMNC headquarters in Zamboanga City, the command said the operations showed the alertness and dedication of its personnel in curbing smuggling activities in Western Mindanao.
Officials of the WMNC said they are thankful to municipal and provincial authorities in Sulu, part of Region 9, and in Tawi-Tawi, one of the five provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), for their support in anti-smuggling operations over the past three weeks that resulted in the seizure of imported rice, sugar and cigarettes valued at P63.9 million.
