Authorities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region have dealt a significant blow to smuggling activities following the confiscation of contraband cigarettes valued at nearly P675,000. The successful law enforcement operations were carried out simultaneously in the provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.
Major Interception in Basilan Waters
In a coordinated effort on Saturday, January 17, 2026, operatives made a substantial seizure in the waters of Maluso, Basilan. Police Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), reported that the joint team from PRO-BAR and the Basilan Maritime Police Station (Marpsta) intercepted a motorboat during a routine patrol.
The vessel, found in Port Holland, Zone 5 village, was loaded with various brands of smuggled cigarettes. The estimated value of the contraband seized at this location alone reached P388,575. Investigators noted that the boat and its illicit cargo were abandoned, with no suspects apprehended at the scene. The motorboat and cigarettes are now held at the Basilan Marpsta for documentation before being turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Sub-Port Bongao.
Second Haul in Tawi-Tawi Docking Area
On the same day, a separate operation yielded another major haul in the southern province of Tawi-Tawi. Personnel from the Tawi-Tawi Maritime Police Station, working alongside the Bureau of Customs and the Tawi-Tawi Police Provincial Office, discovered five master cases of smuggled cigarettes.
The contraband was found near a finger wharf in Sitio Lumboy, Nalil village, Bongao. The value of the cigarettes confiscated in Tawi-Tawi is placed at P286,500. Similar to the Basilan incident, the operation did not lead to any arrests as no one claimed ownership of the abandoned goods. The seized items were transported to the Tawi-Tawi Marpsta for proper disposition.
Vigilance and Coordination Praised
The combined value of the cigarettes seized in the two operations totals P675,075. Police Brigadier General De Guzman commended the operating units for their alertness and the effective inter-agency coordination that led to the successful confiscations. These operations highlight the ongoing efforts of Philippine authorities to curb the entry and distribution of smuggled goods, which undermine local economies and deprive the government of rightful revenue.
The cases underscore the challenges in apprehending individuals behind smuggling rings, as contraband is often abandoned upon interception. The turnover of the seized items to the Bureau of Customs initiates the process for their eventual destruction, in accordance with law.
