MARIVELES, Bataan — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) asked Monday the Bureau of Customs to immediately cause the auction of the seized inflatable imported boats worth millions of pesos after these were ordered forfeited by the BoC for tax evasion and for being used in smuggling of assault rifles.

The action of Senior Superintendent Marvin V. Bolabola, CIDG Region 3 chief, came after BoC Commissioner Napoleon Morales announced last week that the seized M/V Captain Ufuk and the M/V 7,107 Island Cruise worth around P200 million will be auctioned off to augment the cash collections of the BoC, which has been criticized for their shortfall in collection target.

Bolabola and his men confiscated the two high-speed inflatable boats inside the Water Craft Ventures here. The registered owner of the boats, said Bolabola, was one Dave Smith.

Another boat was also confiscated by Chief Inspector Pojie Penones, chief of the CIDG in Olongapo/Zambales, who went all the way to a beach resort in Batangas City where the boat was hidden.

Sources said that each inflatable boat costs $100,000 or approximately P5 million.

It was learned that the tipster who gave information that led to the confiscation of the two boats is entitled to 20 percent of the gross value of the smuggled goods as a reward, in this case P2 million.