Vessel with smuggled goods apprehended in Tawi-Tawi
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 17 Sept) — A motor launch with assorted smuggled goods on board was intercepted by the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) as it travelled off Lahangan Island in Tawi-Tawi on Sunday.
Lt. Cdr. Chester Ross Cabaltera, WMNC spokesman, said in an interview via Viber that M/V Haiban was bound for Jolo with 12 crew onboard, its cargo coming from Sandakan in Malaysia.
He said the vessel carried undocumented cargo consisting of 10,000 sacks of rice, 4,722 bags of sugar, 80 water tank, 1,500 boxes of noodles, and 150 cases of bottled water.
The confiscation of the contraband, he said, was part of the naval command’s enforcement of Philippine laws against large scale smuggling, including Republic Acts 10863, 11203, 10845, and 10611.
The seized goods and vessel were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition, Cabaltera said.
He said the shipment was intended for distribution in Sulu and nearby provinces, bypassing proper customs procedures. This incident, Cabaltera pointed out, highlights the continuing challenges of cross-border smuggling in the southern backdoor of the Philippines. (Frencie L. Carreon / MindaNews)
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