The waters between the Philippines, and Malaysia and Indonesia are prone to abductions and piracy.
The three countries have agreed to jointly patrol these waters and to cooperate to secure the important shipping route that passes through it.
Follow this thread for updates on incidents near the country's porous maritime boundary.
(BOC / MANILA BULLETIN)
Segundo Barte Jr., Bureau of Customs (BoC) Zamboanga City district collector, said 360 cases of imported cigarettes were found on F/B Princess Arlyn which was intercepted by NFWM multi-purpose attack craft (BA494).
Barte said the smuggled cigarettes came from Indonesia and were supposed to be delivered to Cotabato City, the new market site for imported brands of cigarettes in Central Mindanao.
The watercraft is owned by a certain Hadji Wari of Zamboanga and was manned by a skipper and seven crew, according to the report of NFWM public affairs officer Lt. Chester Ross A. Cabaltera.
Barte said the naval patrol craft towed the fishing boat together with its crew onboard to the naval station in Zamboanga City.