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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider BIR wins ₱5.7-billion tax evasion case vs. illicit cigarette traders

BIR wins ₱5.7-billion tax evasion case vs. illicit cigarette traders

Published Mar 25, 2025 06:11 am

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has secured a major victory in a ₱5.7-billion tax evasion case after the Department of Justice (DOJ) ruled in its favor.

The case, which the BIR filed in February, resulted in the DOJ filing two criminal charges with the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) on March 13, 2025.

The charges stem from a large-scale raid conducted by the BIR and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) late last year, targeting illegal cigarette operations in Valenzuela City and Bulacan.

“This ₱5.7-billion tax evasion case against five Chinese nationals involved in a major illicit cigarette operation is part of our largest crackdown on illegal cigarettes last year,” said BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr.

Lumagui emphasized that the victory underscores the bureau's commitment to enforcing tax laws. “We will raid your warehouses, destroy illicit products and machines, file charges, and ensure arrests,” he said.

The case involves a tax liability of ₱5,764,761,450. Authorities seized around 21,000 master cases of illegal cigarettes during the raid.

In a related effort, the BIR recently carried out a nationwide destruction of illicit cigarettes and unregistered machines from Feb. 24 to March 5, 2025. Over 14.3 million packs of the contraband were destroyed during the 10-day operation.

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Romeo Lumagui Jr. court of tax appeals Bureau of Internal Revenue
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