The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said Monday it filed an P8.5-billion tax evasion case against the operators of an illicit cigarette factory in Bulacan and warehouses in Valenzuela City raided in November 2024.
BIR commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said the case stemmed from a Nov. 6, 2024 raid on a factory in Bulacan and three warehouses in Valenzuela City, where authorities seized cigarette-making equipment and materials.
The BIR filed initial charges on Nov. 14, 2024, and additional charges on Feb. 7, 2025, Lumagui said.
Six Chinese nationals were arrested during the raids, the BIR said.
“The BIR will not stop filing criminal cases against large-scale illicit cigarette manufacturers and distributors,” Lumagui said in a statement.
“Big or small, all operations of illicit cigarettes in the Philippines are criminal in nature,” he said.
The agency said the operators violated the National Internal Revenue Code, including provisions related to unlawful business operations, possession of untaxed goods, and illegal manufacturing equipment.
