Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – Government forces seized a total of 19,000 boxes of smuggled in a law enforcement operation in Indanan, Sulu, on March 2, 2023.
According to Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, Commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said combined elements of the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion; 35th, 21st, 45th, 41st, and 100th Infantry Battalions; 111th Division Reconnaissance Company; Naval Special Operations Unit-6; Bureau of Customs; and the intelligence units, conducted a law enforcement operation targeting smuggled contrabands kept inside an identified warehouse owned by a certain Faidasil Sakandal at Sitio Boutan, Barangay Kajatian, Indanan Sulu at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
The operation resulted in the confiscation of 19,000 boxes of assorted brands of smuggled cigarettes with an estimated value of One Billion Four Hundred Twenty-Five Million Pesos (PHP1,425,000,000.00).
Operating troops hauled the confiscated items to Mauboh Pier, loaded them in the LS 550 Navy vessel, and transported them to the Port of Zamboanga for inventory.
Lt. Gen. Roy Galido commended the troops of Joint Task Force Sulu. He attributed this success to good interagency collaboration. “Rest assured that we will continue to support the law enforcement operations of our partners from the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and other agencies to curb smuggling and other illegal activities in our area of operation.” (VICTOR BALDEMOR RUIZ)
