The rescued ship which was later towed to port was travelling from Malaysia with a cargo of sugar when it encountered mechanical trouble and started drifting at sea.

[5] In late August 2018, the ship was on routine patrol when it intercepted two wooden-hulled vessels, the M/L Overseas and M/L Nadeepa, which were carrying smuggled food products worth at least ₱33 million in the vicinity of Tamuk Island, Basilan.

[6] In November 2018, the BRP Cape San Agustin made a series of successful interceptions of smuggled rice in Sulu and Basilan.

First was the discovery of 4,000 sacks of rice worth Php 8 million onboard the R/J Express which was flagged during a routine patrol off the coast of Maluso, Basilan.

[7] A couple of days later the ship found the partly abandoned M/V Hulk anchored off coast of Buland Island in Sulu with 50,000 sacks (each weighing 25 kilos) of rice worth Php 50 million also without proper documentation.