THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Wednesday filed 75 criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against people and businesses involved in the illegal trade of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products or vape.
The cases represent a total tax liability of P711.3 million, it said in an e-mailed statement.
“This is a nationwide filing,” Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. Said. “Revenue regions from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are filing their own local criminal cases right now.”
He added that the agency had targeted major illicit vape sellers and warned that other disobedient retailers would face similar action.
The filings were conducted simultaneously by BIR national and regional offices across the country as part of the bureau’s intensified campaign against tax evasion and to ensure full compliance from vape establishments.
The cases follow a series of BIR enforcement operations involving raids and inspections, which uncovered widespread sales of untaxed vape products.
Violations included products lacking internal revenue stamps or proper BIR registration. Significant quantities of illicit vape products were seized and confiscated during these operations, BIR said. — NPA
