ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 17 -- Authorities seized about PHP6.1 million in smuggled cigarettes during separate maritime security operations in this city and in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte on Thursday.

In a statement Friday, Lt. Col. Joel Senogat Jr., commander of the police's 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company, said PHP4.8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were confiscated in Sitio Layag-Layag, Barangay Talon-Talon.

Senogat said their operatives seized the suspected smuggled cigarettes from an abandoned motorboat during a seaborne patrol operation within the territorial waters of Zamboanga City.

"Confiscated were 32 master cases of menthol cigarettes with an estimated market value of PHP4.8 million," he said.

The contraband w...