PCG, Customs intercept P3.4-M smuggled sugar off Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Coast Guard personnel and Customs policemen have intercepted a shipment of 1,700 sacks of smuggled imported sugar with an estimated worth of PHP3.4 million near Basilan province, an official announced Monday.

The apprehension came as the government has intensified its antismuggling campaign in the southern part of the country and following the reported sighting of wooden-hulled vessel believed to be loaded with contraband.

Lt. Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, said the vessel, M/B Fatima Shakira, was intercepted around 7:30 p.m. Sunday in between Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan and Barangay Cawit, this city. The municipality of Hadji Muhtamad was previously known as the Pilas Islands.

Ramos said M/B Fatima Shakira skippered by Kaiser Jaafar came from Jolo, Sulu and was en route to this city when it was intercepted by the joint Coast Guard personnel and Customs policemen.

He said the vessel was found to be carrying some 1,700 sacks of 50kilo imported sugar from nearby Malaysia without pertinent documents like importation permit. M/B Fatima Shakira is owned and operated by Hadji Alsamer Jaafar, a resident of Barangay Canibungan, Lantawan, Basilan province. The vessel has nine crew.

The vessel was escorted to the local port and was turned over to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for appropriate action, the PCG official said.

Sunday’s apprehension was the second in a week’s time made by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) here in the southern Philippines. The first was on August 13 when they rescued a wooden-hulled vessel in distress near the island town of Mapun in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

The vessel, M/L Sabrina, and its cargo consisting of 5,000 sacks of smuggled sugar estimated worth PHP10 million was turned over by the PCG to the BOC on Saturday in this city.

BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña, who was here on Saturday, witnessed the turnover of the confiscated smuggled sugar.