THE government seized 384,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes in the country last week, with a tax value of more than P269.9 million, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said yesterday.
In a report to Malacanang, Lumagui said the successful operation against illicit cigarette traders and smugglers was conducted by the joint law enforcement team of the Naval Forces of Eastern Mindanao Command based in Davao City last November 6 and the joint team of the Davao City Police Office and Task Force Davao during a random checkpoint in Bunawan, Davao City on November 8.
A total of 717 master cases or 358,500 packs of Canon, GreenHill, and Bros cigarettes, with an estimated P252 million in tax liabilities, were confiscated during the November 6 operations, while 51 master cases or 25,500 packs of New Orleans cigarettes, with an estimated tax liabilities of P 17.9 million, were seized last November 8.
Lumagui said the traders will be charged with violation of Section 130 of the National Internal Revenue Code as amended, Republic Act 11900, and Revenue Regulations Nos. 7-2021, 18-2021, and 14-2022.
