Tax liability of seized vape exceeds P300-M

MANILA: The total tax liability from the confiscated vape products this year has amounted to more than PHP300 million, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said. BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Thursday, said the BIR has confiscated more than 270,000 vape products. "Simula po nung naging crackdown natin siguro mahigit mga 200 plus, 270,000 na yung mga produkto natin na nakumpiska. Itong mga produktong ito ay sisirain natin, subject to destruction yan at yung value ng tax liability na nakikita natin dito sa mga produktong to ay mahigit 300 million na (Since our crackdown, about 270,000 products have been confiscated. We will destroy these products. They are subject to destruction and the value of the tax liability that we see is more than PHP300 million)," Lumagui said. "Ginagawa natin yan at patuloy na gagawin pa rin, na i-confiscate natin at kukunin natin lahat ng mga vape products na walang corresponding na tax stamps na nakakabit ito (We are doing that and will continue to do that. We will confiscate and we will seize all vape products that do not have the corresponding tax stamps attached to them)." The BIR has been conducting raids nationwide as part of the government's efforts in the war against illicit trade. The bureau required all vape products sold in the local market to bear internal revenue stamps beginning June 1. Vape importers and manufacturers were given the opportunity to order these internal revenue stamps since May 8. The BIR presumes that any vape product not bearing BIR stamps has not paid the required excise tax. Lumagui said the BIR is also monitoring online platforms to ensure that no vape products are sold online. "Patuloy din ang pagmo-monitor natin sa online platforms pero ang maganda na rin diyan mas napadali dahil ang DTI (Department of Trade Industry) ay nag-issue ng kanilang pagbabawal ng pagbenta ng vape online. Dapat po wala tayong nakikitang produktong vape sa online, sa mga online platforms (We also continue to monitor online platforms but the good thing is, it has become easier because the DTI issued a ban on the sale of vape online. We should not see any vape products online, on online platforms)," said Lumagui. Last month, the DTI issued an administrative order that temporarily suspended the selling of all vape products on all e-commerce platforms. Source: Philippines News agency