Inquirer
Sulu cop nabbed with P16-M smuggled cigarettes in Zamboanga City
A police anti-smuggling team seized P16.16 million worth of smuggled cigarettes from a policeman and his driver in Zamboanga City.
The operation in Sitio Bactus, Barangay Talabaan led to the arrest of Patrolman Berhamin Jadjuli Taji, assigned to a police unit in Jolo, Sulu, and Ernesto Sandi Mari-as, a resident of Zamboanga City.
Authorities confiscated 282 master cases of Indonesian-made cigarettes, estimated to be worth P16,160,000.00.
The contraband was found inside a closed van during a checkpoint operation at around 1 a.m.
The suspects were reportedly planning to transport the illegal merchandise to contacts in Zamboanga City and nearby towns in Zamboanga Sibugay province.
The seized items and the vehicle were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.
PNP Acting Chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. commended the operation and reaffirmed the PNP's commitment to fighting smuggling and corruption.
Topics in this story
Explore more stories about these topics.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Six individuals were apprehended in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, for attempting to smuggle approximately PHP15.7 million worth of cigarettes.
+2
Read more →
Over P50 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes were seized in three separate operations in Zamboanga City and Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental.
Read more →