The contraband items were initially valued at P7.5 million.

The hot cars were found inside nine 40-footer container vans that were opened in the presence of  National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (Nastaf) chief Angelo Reyes.

Army Col. Edgardo Gurrea, head of the Joint Task Force Gensan, said the seized items were  misdeclared as auto parts, fishing gears, kitchen utensils, and farm tools. None has so far claimed ownership  of the seized items, which arrived at the Makar Port here last week.

The seizure was the fourth time that authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle used cars via the port  here.

Gurrea’s men also seized last February more than 40 used vehicles, mostly Kia and  Hyundai cars.

Reyes told reporters that all the contrabands, including those seized Wednesday, would  be forfeited  in favor of the government and would most likely be auctioned off to the public.

He said Nastaf is continuously moving to rid the country of smuggling even as he noted that the  government has been successful in curbing smuggling in Zamboanga City.

He said Nastaff men are going after smugglers operating in General Santos, Cagayan de Oro,  Davao, Cebu and other cities in Northern Luzon.

Gurrea said that they usually get information from residents on the arrival of the smuggled goods,  like the ones last Wednesday.

One of the container vans, misdeclared as loaded with used auto parts, arrived on board mv Intra  Bhum last May 26. Another boat, the mv Asean Traders which arrived last May 29, unloaded three vans with  misdecalred cargoes of household utensils and consigned to Core House Supply, a fictitious firm.

Five other vans of hot cars arrived aboard mv Munster, also misdeclared as loaded with fishing gear and farm equipment that were consigned to HST Aqua Enterprises and RB Farm Inc., which turned out to be non-existent.

The cargo manifest indicated that all the vans came from Inchon, South Korea.

City mayor Pedro Acharon Jr., lauded the apprehension of the contraband vehicles. (PNA)