By Nonoy Lacson ZAMBOANGA CITY (June 22, 2020) – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in this city confiscated over P1-billion worth of smuggled cigarettes and cigarette-making machines in raids conducted in several warehouses in the Zamboanga peninsula, or Region 9. Zamboanga City Bureau of Customs (BOC) District Collector Segundo Barte said, among those seized by the agency were over 1,200 master cases of fake cigarettes, fake Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) documentary stamps for excise tax, and cigarette-making machines worth over P1.138 billion. According to Barte, the composite team seized the master cases of smuggled cigarettes, worth about P34 million, in Dipolog City: the six cigarette-replicating machines, worth P600 million, in Dinas and Labangan towns both in Zamboanga del Sur; and raw imported tobacco, worth P130,000, the fake BIR stamps valued at P500 million, and other imported goods worth P4 million in Pagadian City. Barte said the composite team raided the warehouses in Dipolog City, Dinas and Labangan town both located in Zamboanga del Sur in compliance with the 10 Letters of Authority (LOA) issued by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero to the local BOC here. Customs Operations Officer 1 Michael Lanza said BOC-Port of Zamboanga and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Zamboanga peninsula (region 9) requested Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero for the issuance of LOA for them to conduct search and seizure procedure. Lansa said the composite team was able to pinpoint the location of the warehouses containing imported and smuggled materials used in the making of fake cigarettes, and the fake BIR documentary stamps. “We were assisted by NBI operatives in the region, headed by Director Moises B. Tamayo, in the raids,” Barte emphasized. “Both of us agreed to curb the proliferation of illegally manufactured cigarettes and importation of tobacco products,“ he further emphasized.