The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has confiscated over 42,000 packs of locally made and imported cigarettes in Batangas City that lacked tax stamps.
In a statement on Friday, the BIR said the illegal products were found in three establishments supplying as well as selling cigarettes last June 26. BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares ordered the conduct of the operation.
“Uncovered in the course of the extended search were imported cigarettes such as RGD, D&B and Farstar being sold but are not registered with the BIR for distribution or sale in the Philippines,” the tax-collection agency disclosed.
The 94 boxes that the BIR seized contained 37,305 packs of imported cigarettes, also including the brands L&D and Pine Prime.
The BIR said 5,130 packs of locally manufactured cigarettes were also found without tax stamps. The confiscated locally made cigarettes bore the following brands: Champion Menthol, Dallas Filter King, Fortune International Extra, Marlboro Black, Marlboro Ice Blast, Marlboro Lights, Marvel Filter King, Pentagon, Westpoint Filter King, Winnsboro, and Winston Lights, according to the BIR.
“The BIR will immediately collect deficiency excise tax on the confiscated cigarettes not bearing the required internal revenue stamp, impose administrative penalties, and file the necessary criminal action against the erring establishments,” it said.
Last month, the BIR also found illegal locally made and imported cigarettes being sold in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
The BIR announced last June that it will “conduct on-the-spot surveillance of cigarette products either in the place of production, storage facilities, or in the domestic market, as the case may be, through the use of mobile verification devices issued for the purpose of ensuring compliance” with the Internal Revenue Stamps Integrated System (Irsis) on tobacco.
Irsis, which mandates affixing tax stamps on cigarette packs, aims to ensure collecting correct excise taxes on tobacco products.
“All manufacturers, importers and distributors of cigarettes are hereby reminded to strictly comply with the requirement of affixture of internal revenue stamps. All wholesalers and retailers are likewise reminded to purchase only cigarette packs with authorized tax stamps,” the BIR had said.
The BIR had also reminded consumers that “any cigarette pack in the market at this time without the requisite tax stamps are presumed to be untaxed and are considered as illegal products.”