BACOLOD City – A total of 798 boxes of cigarettes with fake documentary stamps were recovered by operatives of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group from a warehouse at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port at around 5 p.m. on Sept. 12.
The raid was effected after BIR received information about fake cigarettes there, according to BIR regional director Antonio Jonathan Jaminola.
Operatives also seized the following: boxes of filter rods, staple wires, razor blades and hand saws.
There was under-declaration, according to Jaminola but he declined to identify the suspected owner because the investigation was still ongoing.
The seized cigarettes with fake documentary stamps were estimated to be worth P14 million.
Jaminola said penalty could reach P140 million and a charge for tax evasion may be filed./PN
