THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) yesterday filed P1.2 billion tax evasion and unlawful possession charges against five alleged illegal vape traders before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Named as respondents were Wei Feng Bao, Jimmy Go, Christina Poa, Sandoval Severino Briones and Bibiano Lesaca who were earlier caught selling smuggled and untaxed vape products.
Specifically, the respondents were charged for violations of Republic Act No. 111346 (An Act Increasing the Excise Tax on Tobacco Products, Imposing Excise Tax on Heated Tobacco Products and Vapor Products and Increasing the Penalties for Violations of Provisions on Articles Subject to Excise Tax), and the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
The charges were filed following the raid conducted by a BIR special team on the onsite and online business operations of the accused in Binondo, Manila last month.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., who led the filing of the complaints, told reporters the operation resulted in the seizure of around 100, 000 units of vapes, 899 boxes of untaxed articles composed of 175,050 pieces of pods, and 61,400 pieces of bottled flavored juice.
Lunagui said the estimated value of the items seized from the respondents ranged from P15 million to P30 million.
He said with taxes and penalties, their liabilities to the government will go as high as P1.2 billion.
“I hope this serves yet another warning to those who think that they can continue to evade the payment of their taxes. We are hands-on and focused on our job, and we take this very seriously,” Lumagui said of the first tax evasion case filed by the Marcos administration.
“The popularity and wide use of vape as a smoking alternative has tempted many unscrupulous businessmen and traders to import and sell them illegally. As a word of advice, they should go through the proper and lawful channels, and make sure that they are in full regulatory compliance,” he added.
Lunagui said traders who fail to get the proper permits and pay the corresponding taxes to the government will lead to the confiscation of their products and the filing of criminal charges.
