ZAMBOANGA CITY, Dec. 15 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Customs-Zamboanga District Office is laying down initiatives to boost information dissemination on the anti-smuggling campaign in the Zamboanga Peninsula region and allow citizens know relevant information of illicit cigarettes.

The info drive aims to publicize must-know information about cigarettes such as penalties in patronizing smuggled products; ways on how to know legitimate cigarettes; among others, through text blast and face-to-face engagements with business establishments.

“We are now doing strategic engagements with our partner agencies and stakeholders to sustain the information dissemination drive,” District Collector Segundo Sigmundfreud Z. Barte Jr. said during the destruction of P300 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in a customs-rented warehouse on December 15.

District Collector Barte emphasized the effectiveness of checkpoints manned by government authorities that were situated in Region’s borders and in some strategic places where smuggling activities can be potentially ensued.

“Through the intensified checkpoints initiated by the inter-agency, we seize smuggled goods,” he said.

Around 8,250 master cases  of illicit cigarettes were drenched with water and crushed by a pay loader equipment to prevent recycling, then later dispose in a sanitary landfill located at Barangay Salaan, Zamboanga City.

This is the third destruction of illegal cigarettes held this year (2021) seized in separate anti-smuggling operations in Zamboanga and in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi (BASULTA) from May to November 2021.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has also put in place activities to prevent the selling of smuggled cigarettes, where they confiscate products  found unregistered in their agency.

“We cordially ask the public to avoid patronizing smuggled products and help us end smuggling activities in the region,” Barte said. (EDT/JRA/PIA9-Zamboanga City)