ZAMBOANGA CITY: A joint anti-smuggling operation on Monday before dawn led to the arrest of four individuals and the seizure of PHP2.2 million worth of smuggled sugar at a private shipyard in Barangay Cawit, located about 13 kilometers west of the city center. Brig. Gen. Bowenn Joey Masauding, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) director, reported that the driver, 48; alternate driver, 44; and two male passengers aged 43 and 49 were apprehended by the police and Bureau of Customs (BOC) agents at about 3:40 a.m. According to Philippines News Agency, the operation uncovered 900 sacks of sugar, each weighing 50 kilograms. Further investigation revealed additional sacks with the same brand stacked nearby, confirming the presence of illicit goods. 'This operation underscores the continued commitment of the BOC, in close coordination with local law enforcement, to combat illegal trade and safeguard the public from unsafe and illicit products,' Masauding said. The BOC-Port of Zamboanga is currently completing an inventory of the seized sugar and the two 10-wheeler trucks involved in transporting the contraband. Authorities have launched an investigation to identify the owner of the smuggled goods. The arrest followed a similar operation on Nov. 4, when BOC-Zamboanga and the Regional Special Operations Unit-9 seized PHP425,000 worth of smuggled sugar and arrested two suspects at a private wharf in Barangay Baliwasan.