ILLICIT CIGARETTES. Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) personnel account for the confiscated cigarette machines, sacks of raw tobacco, and fake internal revenue stamps during a raid in one of three warehouses in Cavite on March 21, 2024. BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said Thursday (June 20, 2024) that the combined estimated total tax liability from raids conducted this year amounts to PHP7.2 billion. (Photo from BIR)
MANILA – The total tax liability from the confiscated illicit cigarettes and vape products this year has already amounted to more than PHP7 billion, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said.
"Ito pong nahuli natin ngayong taon pa lang na ito ay marami-rami na ‘no. Sa sigarilyo, mahigit 500,000 pakete na ng sigarilyo ang nakumpiska natin. At dito naman sa vape products, mahigit mga 170,000 na po na produkto ang nakumpiska natin. At lahat po niyan ang estimated tax liability ay nasa PHP7.2 billion na po (We have already seized a lot this year. We have confiscated more than 500,000 packs of cigarettes and more than 170,000 vape products, with an estimated tax liability of PHP7.2 billion)," Lumagui said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Thursday.
Lumagui said the BIR has been conducting raids nationwide, part of the whole-of-government coordination efforts on the war against illicit trade envisioned and directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
"Marami po tayong ginagawa diyan nationwide at sabay-sabay po iyan at sinisigurado po natin na napupuntahan po natin ang mga nagbebenta, hindi lamang po sa mga retail pati na rin sa mga warehouses at iyong mga malalakihan po na mga nagbebenta ng iligal na mga sigarilyo at vape. Nandiyan na rin po ang mga inisyu po natin na mga regulations para mas matutukan po ang pagmo-monitor ng mga nagma-manufacture, nag-i-import, at nagbebenta ng mga vape at sigarilyo (We are doing a lot nationwide simultaneously. We make sure that we target those who sell cigarettes and vape products not only in retail but also warehouses and those who sell wholesale. We have also issued regulations to focus more on the monitoring of those who manufacture, import, and sell vapes and cigarettes)," he said.
The BIR has also required all vape products sold in the local market to bear internal revenue stamps beginning June 1.
Vape importers and manufacturers were given the opportunity to order these internal revenue stamps since May 8.
The BIR presumes that any vape product not bearing BIR stamps has not paid the required excise tax.
Lumagui warned that violators of the mandatory internal revenue stamps on vape products would result in the seizure of the illicit vape products and criminal cases against the businessmen and possessors of these illicit vape products. (PNA)
