Zamboanga City – The Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) intercepted a vessel carrying smuggled goods from Malaysia during a maritime operation off Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi on September 29, 2025.
The vessel, identified as M/L Fatima Radzna, was found transporting around 3,000 sacks of rice, 400 sacks of sugar, 200 cartons of biscuits, 300 cartons of noodles, 100 cases of bottled water, along with cartons of coffee and soy sauce. Authorities said the crew failed to present the necessary documents for the shipment, leading to the confiscation of the goods.
Ten crew members were onboard during the interception. Both the vessel and the seized cargo have been brought to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon (NSRE) in Zamboanga City for investigation and proper disposition.
The WMNC continues to tighten its maritime patrols in Tawi-Tawi, an area often used as a backdoor entry point for smuggling activities from Malaysia.