PCG: Another Php 3.4 million estimated worth of undocumented sacks of imported sugar from Malaysia were confiscated by Philippine Coast Guard in Zamboanga yesterday, 19 August.

This was after the personnel of Coast Guard Station (CGS) Zamboanga discovered more or less 1,700 sacks of imported sugar onboard M/B Fatima Shakira which departed Jolo, Sulu and was enroute to Zamboanga City when the vessel was intercepted.

CGS Zamboanga has initially seized 5,000 bags of smuggled sugar with an estimated amount of Php 10 million onboard M/L Sabrina which they recently rescued off Mapun, Tawi-Tawi last August 13.

According to Lieutenant Commander Noriel Ramos, Station Commander of CGS Zamboanga, they launched a team to confirm an intelligence report received regarding the ongoing illegal operations.

Said team scoured the vicinity waters between Pilas Group of Islands and Cawit, Zamboanga City where they successfully found and boarded the motorboat. Upon inspection, said cargoes were found to have no pertinent documents for its shipment resulting to the vessel’s apprehension.

The vessel was then escorted to Zamboanga Port on Sunday where the shipments were properly turned-over to the Bureau of Customs for inventory and filing of appropriate charges against the consignee.

In a statement given by Lieutenant Commander Ramos, he said that the Coast Guard has intensified its anti-smuggling campaign together with the Bureau of Customs especially commodities used as precursor in producing improvised explosive devices.

M/B Fatima Shakira was skippered by a certain Kaiser Jaafar and is owned and operated by Hadji Alsamer Jaafar.