The Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) intercepted 1,107 boxes of smuggled Bosqu cigarettes valued at ₱43.5 million from North Sulawesi, Indonesia, off the coast of Barangay Bato, Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur on Wednesday. The cigarettes were loaded on the vessel M/L Fatima Shakira, which was owned by a certain Alsamer M. Jafaar and operated by 12 Filipino crew members. The NFEM team conducted a visit, board, search, and seizure operation after the crew failed to respond to a communication, and discovered the smuggled cigarettes without proper documentation, violating Republic Act No. 10863 and Executive Order No. 245. The vessel was brought to Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan, Davao City, and turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition and investigation. In a separate incident, personnel of the Eden Police Station arrested a suspect for transporting 54 boxes of Bosqu cigarettes worth ₱2.12 million in Davao City, and the suspect will be charged with transportation of smuggled cigarettes under R.A. 10863.
