The Philippine Navy intercepted three Malaysian cargo ships loaded with smuggled goods with an estimated market value of ₱20 million Philippine Peso (Approx. $5 Million USD) in Sulu Archipelago.
Capt. Rafael Mariano, deputy commander of the Philippine Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said the ships were intercepted during a "maritime interdiction" patrol at the height of typhoon Lawin (international name Jelawat) which hit the country a week ago.
"When tropical typhoon 'Lawin' (international name Jelawat) continuously unleashed its wrath in Western Mindanao, the Philippine Navy vessels under the Naval Task Force 61 stationed in Jolo made it as an opportunity to conduct maritime interdiction patrol which eventually apprehended three Motor Launch vessels loaded with smuggled goods from Malaysia last September 23, 2012 at around 4 a.m.," Mariano said in his report.
Mariano said the vessels were escorted to the Chinese Pier for joint inspection and inventory by monitoring personnel from the Customs bureau, Sub-Port of Jolo, the crew of the navy vessels in the presence of the owners of the imported goods.
Mariano said the vessels were intercepted about 1.7 nautical miles off Candea Point, Sulu.
The Navy identified the watercraft as M/L Menham-H, M/L Al-Kausar, and M/L Okey owned and operated by Hadji Hamsi Hamsiradji, Albasher Salim Sanka, and Hadji Jamar Mansul, respectively.
The M/L Menham-H yielded an estimated market value of ₱10,300,000 (Approx $2.5 Million USD) worth of imported goods as follows: 13,855 sacks of rice, 145 boxes of Maggi Kari noodles, 100 boxes of Chong Yuan biscuits, 100 pieces of used white container, 91 bundles of udang noodles, 50 boxes of BT lights white candles, 20 boxes of Boy-Boy/Pollo Choco Sandwich, 5 boxes of black tea, 5 pieces of empty LPG tanks, 4 pieces of vehicle tires, one brand-new plastic drum, and a portable generator.
M/L Okey, on the other hand, carried the following goods: 10,000 sacks of rice, 250 boxes of cooking oil, 100 boxes of 3 in 1 coffee, 180 pieces of used white container, 60 pieces of used plastic water containers, and two pieces of a brand-new blue drum with a total estimated market value of ₱ 7,700,000 (Approx $1.8 Million USD).
The third ship, the M/L Al-Kausar, yielded 2, 980 sacks of rice with an estimated market value of ₱2,145,600.00 (Approx $0.5 Million USD) worth of untaxable goods also from Malaysia.
Manila Standard Today
Written by Makisig Bayani
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