[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Customs seizes cigarettes with fake tax stamps ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=”]
Friday, March 10, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – In Cebu and Tacloban cities, three containers loaded with cigarettes bearing what appeared to be fake tax stamps were seized, the Bureau of Customs said on Thursday.
The first two containers were unloaded from MV Don Alberto Sr. at the Port of Cebu from Manila via Tacloban City on Sunday, while another shipment was seized in Tacloban, according to Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon.
“The group led by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) director Neil Estrella inspected two containers and opened one box at the yard of Gothong Lines at Pier No. 4 in the Port of Cebu,” Faeldon said.
“The CIIS conducted the raid following a tip on the arrival of the shipments,” he added. “The boxes were believed to be part of several shipments of Mighty cigarettes bearing fake tax stamps.”
Last week the Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) confiscated 11,044 master cases of Mighty cigarettes worth P215 million in General Santos City and 62,200 master cases valued at P1.98 billion in San Simon, Pampanga.
Faeldon said the identity of the consignee and the market value of the Cebu shipment have yet to be determined. The seized cargo will be turned over to the BIR-Cebu.
BIR commissioner Caesar R. Dulay earlier ordered an investigation into allegations of counterfeit tax stamps on the packs of Mighty cigarettes after the government seized last November over P1 billion in fake cigarette tax stamps.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday ordered the arrest of Alexander Wongchuking, owner of Mighty Corp., for grounds of economic sabotage. The Department of Finance is preparing a case against Wongchuking./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
