Philippine News Agency • May 20, 2020
P210-M smuggled cigarettes destroyed in Zambo City
DESTROYED. Some PHP210 million worth of smuggled cigarettes confiscated in series of anti-smuggling operations in this city and in nearby Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces are destroyed Tuesday (May 19, 2020) in this city. Heavy equipment rolled over the cases of cigarettes after it was soaked with water. The contrabands were later dumped at the local sanitary landfill. (PNA photo by Ely E. Dumaboc)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) led the destruction Tuesday of some PHP210 million worth of confiscated smuggled cigarettes in this southern port city.
Segundo Sigmundfreud Barte Jr., BOC-Zamboanga district collector, said the assorted cigarettes were seized in separate anti-smuggling operations since June of last year until this year in this city and in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas.
Barte said the destruction of some 5,000 master cases was based on orders of the BOC central office after the cigarettes were forfeited in favor of the government.
The cigarettes were scattered on a concreted lawn of a shipping firm’s warehouse and soaked with water by firemen.
Barte said the destruction of the seized smuggled cigarettes is to serve the smugglers a lesson that the government is serious in its campaign against smuggling.
Barte lauded other agencies of government such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Coast Guard, police, military and other concerned stakeholders for the support in the anti-smuggling campaign of the BOC.
Meanwhile, Barte said he has requested the BOC-central office to put up a condemnation facility in this southern port city to serve as the destruction area of seized contrabands.
The destruction of the confiscated cigarettes was witnessed by Councilors Josephine Pareja and John Dalipe and other government officials. (With reports from Ely E. Dumaboc/PNA)
