CEBU CITY – More than 1,000 boxes of allegedly smuggled cigarettes were seized at the reclamation area in Mandaue City, Cebu.
The tobacco products were loaded in 20-foot and 40-foot container vans that were abandoned at dawn on Tuesday, May 12.
Capt. Jerome Lozada, station commander of Coast Guard Station Cebu, said the contraband was valued between ₱70 million and ₱80 million.
Lozada explained that authorities received information about a shipment of smuggled cigarettes expected to arrive in Cebu via Pier 7. Because of the tip, monitoring at ports was intensified.
At around 3 a.m. Tuesday, two trailer trucks were spotted leaving Pier 7. A few meters away, their drivers fled, leaving the cargo behind.
The Coast Guard, together with the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, inspected the trucks and found boxes of tobacco products.
Lozada said they initially waited for the drivers to return, but when they did not, authorities proceeded to examine the vehicles.
He noted that this was the second time a large volume of smuggled cigarettes had been seized in Cebu. (Calvin Cordova)
