Entry of Indonesian smugglers being monitored in GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Authorities have intensified the crackdown on Indonesian nationals who are reportedly involved in smuggling activities in the city.

P/Lt. Col. Pedro Soliba, regional chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Unit, said four Indonesians were arrested Monday by police operatives while unloading smuggled goods consisting of imported cigarettes, noodles, pesticide spray and detergent

soaps from a fishing vessel at a private wharf in Barangay Calumpang, this city.

Soliba identified the suspects as Jarisal Loho, 45, a native of Manado , Indonesia; Vilma Antahari, 48; Abdul Antahari, 49; and Nelius Tuwonisa, 45.

He said PNP Maritime operatives intercepted the contraband after they received information that the suspects will sneak into the city a shipload of smuggled items from Indonesia.

The suspects denied they were involved in smuggling operations, saying the seized goods were for their personal consumption.

Local authorities here have intensified their intelligence monitoring on the entry of smuggled goods from Indonesia after three other Indonesian nationals were arrested last February for smuggling imported cigarettes from their country into the city.

Melody Gonzales, deputy chief for intelligence of the Bureau of Immigration in Mindanao, identified the arrested suspects as Arlan Suparlan, Gerson Pamikiran and Michael Sabid who were intercepted by intelligence operatives of the Philippine Navy, Police regional intelligence unit and Philippine Coast Guard while aboard a motorboat in sitio Puting Bato, Barangay Calumpang.

Intelligence information revealed that the suspects were involved in the smuggling of imported cigarettes from Indonesia which were distributed to the local market outlets in the city and neighboring areas.

Last year, authorities have launched a crackdown against the proliferation of imported cigarettes from Indonesia which flooded the local market in the city and neighboring areas.