ZAMBOANGA CITY — More than ₱25.4 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized after being abandoned aboard a motorized boat during a maritime operation conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday afternoon, September 12, 2025.
Personnel of the Police Regional Office-9, particularly the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company Seaborne Unit, intercepted the contraband around 3:00 p.m. in the waters near Sacol and Manalipa Islands.
Authorities recovered a total of 445 cartons of assorted smuggled cigarettes, which have since been turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for proper disposition.
The smugglers reportedly fled the area, abandoning the jungkong-type vessel loaded with the illicit shipment. A manhunt operation has been launched to track down the suspects.
Police said the operation forms part of their strengthened campaign against smuggling and other illegal activities in the Zamboanga Peninsula’s coastal areas.