BIR seizes P252 million worth of illicit cigarettes in Davao City

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), led by Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., confiscated 717 cases of illicit cigarettes, totaling 358,500 packs and estimating P252 million in tax liabilities during a joint operation with the Naval Forces of the Eastern Mindanao Command last week in Davao City. 

Lumagui stressed the BIR's commitment to eradicating illegal activities in the tobacco industry.

"We are determined to dismantle illicit tobacco networks to protect law-abiding taxpayers. This is part of our ongoing efforts, with more actions to come," Lumagui said.

During the joint operation on November 6, the authorities found out that brands such as Canon, GreenHill and Bros were being smuggled into the Philippines without proper payment of excise taxes. 

The traders have breached Section 130 of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, Republic Act 11900, and Revenue Regulations Nos. 7-2021, 18-2021, and 14-2022.

In a separate operation on November 8, the BIR, in collaboration with the Davao City Police Office PS6 and Task Force Davao, seized 51 cases of New Orleans smuggled cigarettes. 

This amounted to 25,500 packs with an estimated tax liability of P17.9 million, discovered during a random checkpoint in Bunawan, Davao City.