ZAMBOANGA CITY — Police in Sulu province arrested a suspected smuggler during a raid at a cigarette warehouse in Indanan, Sulu, and seized 297 assorted master cases of smuggled cigarettes worth P10.6 million.

Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Acting Director P/Brig. Gen. Prexy D. Tanggawohn said yesterday that combined police units in Sulu in coordination with the Bureau of Customs Sulu raided a warehouse in Sitio Smart, Barangay Kajatian in Indanan at about 9 p.m. on Friday.

The anti-smuggling operation has led to the arrest of a suspected smuggler identified as alias “Jim” and the confiscation of 297 assorted brands of smuggled cigarettes worth P10.665 million.

According to Tanggawohn, “As law enforcement officers approached the area, several individuals fled, but alias “Jim”, was caught off-guard while handling boxes of smuggled cigarettes inside the warehouse and he was swiftly apprehended.”

The seized smuggled cigarettes and alias Jim are currently in the custody of the Indanan Municipal Police Station for further investigation and proper disposition.

On Tuesday last week, policemen on patrol spotted some 30 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P375,000 left abandoned at Barangay Tulay in Jolo, Sulu.

Accordingly, some unidentified individuals were seen attending beside the smuggled cigarettes earlier but hurriedly left the area after sensing the approaching mobile patrol car of Jolo Municipal Police Station.