Illegal e-cigarette products in Taytay market seized by authorities.

Aug.09.2024
Illegal e-cigarette products in Taytay market seized by authorities.
Philippine authorities seized 7,920 illegal e-cigarette products worth $11.9k in Taytay, province of Rizal, as reported on August 9.

According to a report from the Philippine News Agency on August 9th, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seized 7,920 illegal e-cigarette products at a market in the town of Tighten in La City province.


The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) stated in a declaration on Friday (9th) that these illegal e-cigarette products were seized in a raid on August 8, with an estimated value of approximately 6.82 million Philippine Pesos (11.9 thousand US Dollars).


BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. stated,


The BIR Illegal Trade Special Task Force, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation, conducted a raid at Taytay Tiangge market and discovered thousands of illegal e-cigarette products, including FLAVA. These illegal e-cigarette products have been confiscated, will be destroyed, and efforts are underway to recover unpaid taxes and file charges against those involved in selling these products.


According to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), this operation was carried out following a report from a citizen regarding the sale of e-cigarette products without BIR tax stamps on market stalls, primarily selling the FLAVA brand.


The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) conducted monitoring of the market and eventually discovered a warehouse in Barangay San Juan.


The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) stated that all seized e-cigarette products did not have tax stamps, and that the stall and warehouse were not registered.


In addition, the business does not have a business license and has not issued official receipts or invoices.


The BIR stated that these actions all violated the Tax Code.


Lumagui stated, "We encourage the public to report the sale of e-cigarette products that do not have tax stamps affixed.


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