BIR destroys P1 billion fake cigarettes, machines

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has destroyed over P1 billion worth of fake cigarettes and machines seized in recent raids in the Visayas and Mindanao, the Department of Finance (DOF) said yesterday.

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, BIR deputy commissioner Arnel Guballa said raw materials and packaging supplies were among those destroyed.

“The destruction... spearheaded by the BIR operations group and its strike team was witnessed by representatives from the Commission on Audit, National Bureau of Investigation, local government units, local press and revenue regional offices,” Guballa said.

The BIR had earlier said illegal tobacco trade in the country shifted from smuggling to producing counterfeit brands using machines acquired from China.

The BIR and Bureau of Customs (BOC) created a task force to go after traders of smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes.

The BIR also created its own strike team to coordinate its  campaign against smuggled and locally manufactured counterfeit products.

The BOC formed its own anti-smuggling task force to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of laws. 

Dominguez directed the BIR and BOC to coordinate with their counterparts in China to stop the entry of cigarette-making machines.