ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 06 (PIA) -- As the COVID-19 protocols loosens specifically in the portals of both land and seas in the region, smugglers will take this as an advantage to trade more of the illicit products here.

This, as District Collector of the Port of Zamboanga Segundo Sigmundfreud Z. Barte Jr. anticipates more seizures of smuggled products this year.

“We expect that with these new smuggled products, this is a sign that there will be more intensified smuggling operations because they want to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” District Collector Barte Jr. said in an interview.

The District Collector also asserted that smugglers would find any means to get the illicit products inside the city.

“Dumadami ang mga iligal na produkto, meaning dumadami ang mga investors na nagta-try dahil tinamaan talaga sila ng hirap dahil sa pandemya at nawalan sila ng negosyo,” he added.

[Illicit products are increasing, meaning more and more investors are trying because they have been hit hard by the pandemic and they lost their business]

More so, Barte Jr. has underscored the readiness and constant presence of the enforcement team 24/7 in shores, and checkpoints in some strategic places that cover the area of our responsibilities will be duly maintained.

“They have to know that all law enforcement agencies here, including the media are one in the fight against smuggling operations,” Barte Jr. affirmed.

Meanwhile, around 3,110 master cases and 1,372 reams of imported smuggled cigarettes seized in separate operations and customs checkpoints were destroyed in a customs-rented warehouse in Baliwasan Zamboanga City on May 05.

The smashed illicit cigarettes are worth P110-Million and will be disposed in a sanitary landfill in Barangay Salaan in this city.

“Kailangan natin iparating sa kanila na may humuhuli at effective ang panghuhuli. Kailangan din natin ipaalam sa publiko na ang gobyerno ay talagang gumagalaw para ihinto ang illicit trade na ito,” Barte Jr. exclaimed.

[We need to inform them (smugglers) that the government captures and it is effective. We also need to let the public know that the government is really moving to stop this illicit trade in the city]. (RVC/JRA/PIA9-Zamboanga City)