Google map of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi ZAMBOANGA CITY - Authorities have rescued over the weekend eight victims of human trafficking in Tawi-Tawi province, a top police official said Monday. Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the victims were rescued around 8 p.m. Saturday at the port of Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi. Verceles said the victims, all of legal age, are from the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte with three; two each from this city and Zamboanga del Sur; and one from Zamboanga Sibugay. The Bongao municipal inter-agency committee against trafficking rescued the victims after receiving a tip that a commercial ferry docked at its port will be transporting a group of people to Malaysia via Tawi-Tawi. Verceles said the victims admitted that they were recruited to work in Malaysia without the necessary documents. They were turned over to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Development Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
Google map of Hadji Panglima Tahil, Sulu province. ZAMBOANGA CITY - Eight persons were arrested for allegedly poaching 15 turtles in Sulu province, a top police official said Monday. Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the alleged poachers were arrested around 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Sitio Puh Higad, Barangay Bubuan in Hadji Panglima Tahil, Sulu. Verceles identified the suspects as Sawah Habil, 18; Albakre Basari, 23; Jal Sali, 21; Asdarun Akasa, 28; Sanibe Saali, 30; Mulsin Mahamod, 22; Mahadil Mahamod, 21; and Marvin Haril, 22. They are all residents of Pangutaran town, Sulu. Verceles said the suspects were arrested after a resident reported to authorities that they were hunting turtles. Seized from the poachers were 15 slaughtered turtles, five motorboats, seven spears and other hunting equipment. Verceles said the suspects were detained while the seized pieces of evidence were brought to Sulu Maritime Police Station for inventory, d
ABANDONED CONTRABAND. Police officers inspect some 300 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P3.1 million on Sunday (Sept. 4, 2022) in an open warehouse at the port in Barangay Buansa, Indanan town, Sulu province. No one was arrested as the owner of the contraband abandoned the cargo upon sensing the arrival of the policemen. (Photo courtesy of Area Police Command-Western Mindanao) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Authorities have arrested four persons and seized some PHP3.2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in two separate anti-smuggling operations in Sulu and this city, a top police official said Monday. Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said no one was arrested on the first confiscation of smuggled cigarettes around 5:15 p.m. Sunday at the port in Barangay Buansa in Indanan town, Sulu province. Verceles said policemen from Indanan Municipal Police Station rushed to the port in Barangay Buansa upon receiving information on the presen
SMUGGLED CIGARETTES. Law enforcement operatives seize some PHP5.2 million worth of contraband as they intercept two vehicles loaded with smuggled cigarettes Saturday (April 16, 2022) in Barangay Caparan, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. From November 2021 to date, Area Police Command-Western Mindanao says it has already seized some PHP80 million worth of smuggled cigarettes. (Photo courtesy of Area Police Command-Western Mindanao) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Police and Bureau of Customs (BOC) operatives arrested two persons and seized some PHP5.2 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Zamboanga Sibugay province, a top police official said Monday. Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao (APC-WM), said suspects Hamid Pallong and Radzmir Ainami were arrested around 5:20 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Caparan, Ipil town. Pallong and Ainami were caught separately driving a van and a sports utility vehicle loaded with 402 master cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes. Ver