The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed on Thursday 69 tax evasion cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against several traders who sell cigarettes with fake tax stamps.
In an interview with the media, BIR Commissioner Romeo 'Jun' Lumagui Jr. said these cigarette traders were earlier caught in their simultaneous nationwide raid last January 25.
"Sinisiguro namin na kada raid ay may kaso na masusunod ito para ma-realize ng mga illicit traders natin na sana tigilan nila ito dahil sisiguraduhin namin na kapag nahuli kayo ay kaso ang kasunod nito," he noted.
According to the BIR Commissioner, the government lost an estimated ₱1.8 billion in taxes due to the illegal selling of cigarettes.
Lumagui explained that before selling cigarettes, businesses are required to pay excise taxes first to receive the stamps.
"Ngayon, etong mga nahuli natin, ang iba dito ay peke ang stamps," he added.
In late January this year, Lumagui along with other BIR officials conducted a nationwide raid where thousand of cigarettes with fake stamps, cigarettes with no stamps, and even fake cigarettes were seized.
