ZAMBOANGA CITY — It was barely mid-morning at the Port Area when police and customs operatives moved in on what they suspected was another attempt to sneak illicit cigarettes into the city. They were right.

With teamwork at the core of the operation, the Bureau of Customs and several police units intercepted a Wing Van loaded with an estimated P21 million worth of smuggled cigarettes —about 300 master cases tucked inside the vehicle.

Police Regional Office 9 chief Brig. Gen. Edwin A. Quilates said the van had just come from the port when authorities stopped it around 9 a.m. Sunday. A coordinated team — ranging from intelligence and special operations units to maritime police, CIDG, HPG, and even the Marine Battalion Landing Team — quickly closed in.

Behind the wheel was a 42-year-old driver from Barangay San Jose Cawa-Cawa, who is now in police custody as investigators piece together how the shipment slipped into the city.

The seized cargo and the intercepted vehicle have since been turned over to CIDMU–SIU for documentation, while charges are being readied against the driver.

Quilates praised the seamless coordination among units, saying it shows how serious the police are in shutting down smuggling routes in the region.

“This operation underscores our continuing campaign against smuggling and other illegal activities that undermine lawful trade and national security,” he said.

He added that PRO 9 remains firm in protecting the economic integrity of Zamboanga’s borders — one operation, one interception, and one investigative lead at a time.