THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) confiscated more than 11 million packs of illicit cigarettes during a large-scale raid in Bulacan and Valenzuela City.
On Thursday, November 14, the BIR said 11.51 million packs of illicit cigarettes with an estimated tax liability of PHP8.54 billion were seized from an illicit cigarette factory in Bulacan and three illicit cigarette warehouses in Valenzuela City on November 6.
“The BIR will not stop raiding factories and warehouses involved in illicit cigarettes. A large criminal enterprise with a factory in Bulacan and three warehouses in Valenzuela City was simultaneously raided last week, uncovering P8.5 billion in tax liabilities. This is the largest operation of the BIR against illicit cigarettes for 2024,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said.
All four establishments are suspected to be part of one criminal enterprise.
The BIR also seized raw materials, cigarette-making machines, and cigarette packing machines.
Six Chinese nationals were also apprehended.
The BIR said the perpetrators violated several provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code. (PNA)
