The Bureau of Customs-Port of Zamboanga will destroy at least P395 million worth of smuggled cigarettes on 13 December during simultaneous public condemnation activities in Pavillion, Dao in Pagadian City and in a customs-rented warehouse in Barangay Baliwasan in Zamboanga City.

The cigarettes contained in more than 11,219 master cases will be drenched in water and repeatedly crushed by a payloader in the presence of representatives from the Commission on Audit, local government units, stakeholders, partner agencies and other operating units, BoC-Zamboanga said Sunday.

The destroyed contrabands will then be dumped in the sanitary landfill in Barangay Salaan, Zamboanga City, according to the agency.

The cigarettes were seized during separate anti-smuggling operations in Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi from May to November 2022.

BoC-Zamboanga District Collector Segundo Sigmundfreud Barte Jr. said it will be the second condemnation activity of the port for the year following the May 2022 destruction of P110 million worth of smuggled cigarettes.

The contrabands were seized with the help of the Task Force for Anti-Smuggling in Zambasulta composed of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, Philippine Marines, Philippine Navy, National Bureau of Investigation, Joint Task Force Zamboanga, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Internal Revenue and the LGU.

The Task Force ensures efficient inter-agency coordination for expeditious actions against smugglers.

The Port of Zamboanga recorded more than P500 million worth of confiscated cigarettes for the year in line with the directive of Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz and orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen measures against smuggling and promote transparency in operations.