The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized several rims of alleged fake cigarettes and hundreds of sacks containing cigarette raw materials in a raid on three warehouses in Meycauayan City, Bulacan.
Also found during the raid on May 31 were alleged fake Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps stacked inside a small sack, old cigarette-making machines, and several sacks with shredded plastics.
The raid stemmed from the directive of Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña to inspect three warehouses on Block 4 Lot 2, Block 4 Lot 2B, and Block 2 Lot 8, Panply Marketing Warehouse in Muralla Industrial Subdivision, Meycauayan City, on suspicion they contained dutiable or prohibited goods.
“The Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) agents did not find any person inside the warehouse so they proceeded with the inspection which [led] to the seizure of the fake cigarettes,” Lapeña said in a statement.
“Aside from the ESS, the operation was enjoined by the elements of the Bulacan Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation Detection Group, local government unit of Brgy. Perez, Meycauayan City, and a product specialist from Japan Tobacco Industry,” Lapeña added.
According to ESS director Yogi Ruiz, the seized fake cigarettes, the tax stamps, and machines have an estimated market value of P500 million.
Reports showed that the warehouses are owned by a certain Johnny Caluban and Panply Marketing Corporation.
“The owners still have 15 days from the date of inspection to produce evidence of payment; otherwise, a warrant of seizure and detention will be issued by the Bureau,” the Customs chief explained.
The suspected fake BIR cigarette tax stamps are still being authenticated by the BIR while the warehouses are now under guard.
The proliferation of locally made fake cigarettes and smuggled fake cigarettes from abroad is now being tracked by BOC to prevent its entry into the Philippine market.
Last year, BOC, together with sister agency BIR, cracked down on local cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corp., seizing P5.407 billion worth of cigarettes found with fake tax stamps.
Recently, BOC seized about P20 million worth of smuggled cigarettes of various brands at the Manila International Container Port and P8.2 million worth of cigarettes at the Port of Manila.
“Again, we are warning these unscrupulous traders, importers, and businessmen. Our operations after your illegal trade practices will not stop. You better shape up or your businesses will suffer. We will do these to help level the playing field for legitimate cigarette manufacturers,” Lapeña said.
