THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) yesterday filed 75 tax evasion cases worth a total of P711.3 million against illicit vape retailers and sellers before the Department of Justice (DOJ.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said the complaints were for violation of the National Internal Revenue Code for tax evasion, unlawful possession or removal of articles subject to excise tax without payment of the tax, and failure to file excise tax returns.
“Today, the BIR has filed 75 tax evasion cases against illicit vape retailers and sellers. The BIR has proven that it will file cases after the biggest illicit vape sellers such as Flava, Denkat, Flare, and Tap Fog. Today, due to the continuing disobedience of illicit vape retailers, they will suffer the same fate,” Lumagui told reporters after the filing of the cases.
“We found out that the selling of these products are being done nationwide and there are still many products that are not registered. They have also not paid excise tax on the vape products. That is why we are continuing our operation against them,” he said in Filipino.
He said the filing of the cases stemmed from a series of enforcement operations conducted by the agency, which uncovered the “rampant” selling of untaxed vape, including those without the required internal revenue stamps and proper registration.
“The operations led to the seizure and confiscation of significant volumes of illicit vape products,” he added.
In April this year, the BIR filed an P8.7 billion tax evasion cases against illicit vape businesses, including such as Flava, Denkat, and Flare.
The BIR has reported that it has surpassed its revenue target for the first six months of 2025, collecting P1.554 trillion from January to June, which is P4.594 billion above target and 14.11 percent higher than the same period last year.
Lumagui has credited the agency’s strong performance to reforms initiated by the government, including measures that broaden the tax base.
These include the collection of VAT on digital services, the CREATE MORE Act, and the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA).
“We will continue to serve with honesty and efficiency so we can help improve the country’s economy,” said Lumagui, who has been recognized for aggressively pushing enforcement, digitalization, and taxpayer service reforms.
The BIR chief has also credited the dedication of BIR employees as a major factor in the agency’s performance.
