Philippines authorities seize millions in smuggled cigarettes

Authorities in the Philippines have conducted separate operations resulting in the seizure of significant quantities of suspected smuggled cigarettes.

In Zamboanga City, a joint coastal anti-smuggling operation led by the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company recovered 385 reams of BOSQU cigarettes, valued at approximately ₱1.15 million. The operation, conducted along the shoreline of Miramar Flamingo in Barangay Sinunuc, also resulted in the seizure of a gold-colored motorboat believed to be associated with the shipment. The items are being prepared for turnover to the Bureau of Customs.

In Negros Occidental, police recovered 1,100 reams of suspected smuggled cigarettes worth PHP 594,000 from an abandoned truck in Kabankalan City. This discovery followed a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on private property. This incident is part of a broader crackdown in the Negros Island Region, where authorities reported seizing approximately PHP 195 million worth of contraband between January and June, leading to 52 arrests.