A POLICE officer assigned in Jolo, Sulu, and his driver were arrested at a checkpoint in Zamboanga City after they were caught transporting 282 master cases of smuggled cigarettes.
The interception occurred in Sitio Bactus, Barangay Talabaan, at approximately 1 a.m.
According to Col. Fidel Fortaleza Jr., chief of the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO), the suspects were onboard a closed van when they were stopped during a routine checkpoint operation.
The smuggled cigarettes, estimated to be worth P16.16 million, were discovered inside the vehicle.
The arrested police officer, whose name is being withheld pending further investigation, is based in Jolo, Sulu, while his driver is a resident of Barangay Divisoria, Zamboanga City.
Both suspects are now in the custody of Zamboanga City Police Station 4. The confiscated smuggled cigarettes and the vehicle used in the transport have been turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.
The incident raises concerns about potential involvement of law enforcement personnel in smuggling activities in the region.
