MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has secured a major victory in its crackdown on illicit tobacco operations after the Department of Justice (DOJ) ruled in its favor in a ₱796.95 million tax evasion case involving illegal cigarette activities in Valenzuela City and Bulacan.
The case, which stemmed from a joint raid conducted by the BIR and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in November 2024, has now been elevated to the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA). Authorities seized around 21,000 master cases of counterfeit and untaxed cigarettes, with a total estimated tax liability of ₱5.7 billion.
Two criminal informations were officially filed before the CTA on March 13, 2025.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. reiterated the agency’s commitment to hold smugglers accountable. “We will raid your warehouses. We will destroy all illicit cigarettes and machines. We will file cases. You will be arrested,” Lumagui said in a statement.
The BIR’s campaign against illegal cigarette trade also includes the destruction of 14.3 million seized cigarette packs nationwide, valued at ₱2.1 billion in lost revenue.
Warrants of arrest are being readied for the suspects, including several Chinese nationals allegedly involved in the operations.