ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) successfully intercepted a motorized jungkung carrying an estimated ₱1.5 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a maritime patrol operation off the coast of Barangay Maasin, Zamboanga City.
According to a report from the PCG-Zamboanga Station, personnel aboard a Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) were conducting routine patrols when they spotted a suspicious green-colored jungkung navigating the area. Upon approach and inspection, authorities found numerous boxes of cigarettes on board.
The vessel bore no Safety, Security, and Environmental Numbering System (SSEN) markings, and its crew failed to present any legal documents for the cargo. As a result, Coast Guard personnel immediately seized the vessel and its contraband, towing it to Paniran Wharf for inventory and further verification.
The confiscated cigarettes were subsequently brought to the PCG-Zamboanga headquarters for proper documentation and will be turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for further investigation and legal disposition.
The PCG reaffirmed its commitment to combat maritime smuggling and illegal trade operations that undermine government tax revenues and public health. Authorities also warned smugglers that intensified sea patrols will continue across Western Mindanao to deter similar illegal activities.
This latest interception adds to the growing list of successful anti-smuggling operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula, an area long known as a key entry point for illicit goods coming from neighboring countries.