ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities recovered at least 96 boxes of suspected smuggled cigarettes believed to have been abandoned by unidentified individuals in Sitio Malasugat, Barangay Sangali, on Sunday morning, May 31, as part of the government’s intensified campaign against illegal trade and smuggling activities in the region.
Personnel from the City Intelligence Unit of the Zamboanga City Police Office (CIU-ZCPO), together with operatives from Police Station 3 in Sangali, conducted the recovery operation after local residents discovered the contraband hidden in the area and immediately alerted barangay officials and law enforcement authorities.
Initial reports showed that approximately 90 master cases, equivalent to around 96 cartons or boxes of imported cigarillos and cigarettes believed to have originated from Indonesia, were found abandoned in the coastal sitio.
Police investigators theorized that the contraband was supposed to be transported to another location by several unidentified men who had earlier been spotted near the storage area. However, the suspects allegedly fled and left behind the illegal shipment after realizing that residents and barangay officials had already noticed their presence, possibly fearing arrest by responding authorities.
Authorities immediately secured the area and conducted an inventory and documentation of the recovered items before transporting them to Police Station 3 in Sangali for temporary custody.
The seized cigarettes are now under the custody of the Zamboanga City Police Office and are scheduled to be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition and assessment of the estimated market value of the confiscated contraband.
Law enforcement officials said operations are still ongoing to identify and track down the individuals responsible for the smuggling attempt and to determine the intended destination of the illegal products.
Authorities stressed that the operation forms part of the continuing crackdown against smuggling and illicit trade activities that threaten the local economy, deprive the government of tax revenues, and undermine legitimate businesses.
Police also commended residents and barangay officials for their vigilance and immediate coordination with authorities, which led to the successful recovery of the illegal shipment before it could reach local markets.
Further investigation is ongoing.