ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities intercepted a jungkong cargo vessel carrying more than ₱21 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes off Sta. Cruz Island on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
According to a report from Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9), personnel of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company Seaborne successfully stopped the small wooden vessel loaded with imported cigarettes believed to have come from Indonesia. The operation also led to the interception of five crew members aboard the boat.
The anti-smuggling operation was carried out in coordination with local officials, with support from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), both of which are intensifying their campaign against cigarette smuggling in the city.
Authorities said the seized cigarettes will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition, while the crew are under investigation.
Smuggling of cigarettes remains a persistent problem in Zamboanga City and nearby provinces, with authorities citing it as a major source of revenue loss for the government and a threat to the local tobacco industry.