Authorities seized 11,309 illicit vapor products and uncovered more than P33 million in estimated unpaid taxes during a coordinated crackdown across five regions, the Bureau of Internal Revenue said on Monday.
The enforcement operations, conducted on March 12 in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine National Police, targeted traders selling untaxed products in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas and Laguna. Officials said the illegal trade deprives the government of revenue and exposes consumers to unregulated goods that fail to meet safety and tax requirements.
In Muntinlupa and Parañaque, teams from Revenue Region 8B discovered five shops owned by a single proprietor selling 2,509 illicit units. The seizure, which included nicotine salt pods and disposable vapes, accounted for P8,146,702.90 in tax liabilities.
In Valenzuela and Caloocan, Revenue Region 5 operatives confiscated 1,191 disposable vapes with excise tax liabilities near P3 million. Investigators found several units carried fake internal revenue stamps or lacked them entirely.
The largest haul occurred in Cavite and Batangas, where Revenue Region 9A inspected 12 establishments and found nine trading unregistered goods. Authorities seized 6,065 products with estimated tax liabilities of approximately P18.2 million. In San Pedro, Laguna, Revenue Region 9B seized another 1,544 products linked to P4,621,027.81 in unpaid taxes.
BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said the raids are part of an intensified campaign against the illegal sale of excisable goods.
“These operations are part of the BIR’s intensified enforcement against the illegal sale and distribution of untaxed vapor products. In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen tax compliance and protect government revenues, the Bureau will continue to conduct coordinated enforcement actions against businesses that evade their tax obligations,” Mendoza said.
The agency said the operations align with Department of Finance Secretary Frederick Go’s “Big Bold Reforms” policy to curb illicit trade.
“Consistent with the policy direction of Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go under the Department of Finance’s Big Bold Reforms to strengthen revenue administration and curb illicit trade, the BIR will further intensify monitoring and enforcement operations to ensure full compliance with tax laws. Those engaged in the illegal sale of untaxed vapor products should expect decisive enforcement action from the Bureau,” Mendoza said.
The bureau warned that sellers of illicit vapes face seizure of goods, tax assessments and potential criminal cases under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. Business owners were urged to ensure proper registration and the affixture of internal revenue stamps to avoid prosecution.
