BIR seizes illicit cigarettes worth PHP637M, arrests Chinese nationals

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) announced Tuesday that it seized illicit cigarettes with a PHP636.94 million tax liability from a large-scale seller in Cabanatuan City, central Luzon.

During the raid, 15 Chinese nationals were arrested and authorities discovered illicit cigarettes, machines, fake tax stamps, raw tobacco, and other materials used in cigarette manufacturing inside a factory disguised as a rest house.

The BIR noted that the facility failed to comply with hygiene standards, leaving raw tobacco on the floor.

The manufacturers are under investigation for various violations of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), including unlawful possession or removal of articles subject to excise tax without payment.

Beginning this month, the bureau will conduct regular raids on illegal vape sellers and has already seized illegal cigarettes with a PHP107.76 million tax liability from a factory-warehouse in Cebu last week.

The BIR aims to collect PHP152.4 billion in excise taxes from tobacco products this year, which accounts for more than 40% of the agency's tax take.