Authorities bust cigarette smuggling, arrest 3

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Authorities arrested three individuals and confiscated smuggled cigarettes worth over PHP2.8 million during an anti-smuggling operation on Tuesday, April 1.

Col. Melvin Laguros, chief of Regional Maritime Unit-9, stated that the contraband was discovered at a storage facility in Barangay Baliwasan around 3:30 p.m., after receiving intelligence reports indicating the arrival of smuggled cigarettes at the cargo facility.

The suspects apprehended were identified as Joveven Tanaza (driver), Jerome Solaiman (truck helper), and Darrel Januarius Wee (checker). Authorities found 50 master cases of smuggled cigarettes inside white sacks during the raid.

Law enforcement asked the suspects for pertinent papers but they failed to present these, leading to their arrest for violating Republic Act 10643 on tobacco products and RA 10863 or the Custom Modernization and Tariff Act.

The suspects and confiscated goods were taken to the city's Maritime Police Station for further processing.