By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have arrested two people, including a police officer, and seized a PHP16.1 million shipment of smuggled cigarettes in an intelligence-driven operation here early Thursday.
Col. Fidel Fortaleza Jr., Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, withheld the identities of the suspects pending further investigation. The policeman, who is the alleged owner of the smuggled cigarettes, is assigned in Sulu. His driver is a resident of Barangay Divisoria in this city.
Fortaleza said police operatives intercepted a closed van and arrested the suspects during a checkpoint operation in Sitio Bactus, Barangay Talabaan, at around 1:30 a.m.
Confiscated from the van were 282 master cases of assorted cigarettes with a total estimated value of PHP16.1 million.
The arrested suspects are now under the custody of Zamboanga City Police Station 4. The confiscated cigarettes and the vehicle were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.
Fortaleza said the successful law enforcement operation is the result of intensified intelligence work. (PNA)
