The raid led on the same day to the source of the contraband in Barangay Pulong Maragul in this city, where the BIR agents seized 300 cases of imported liquor also lacking in tax stamps worth about P1.8 million.
In an interview, BIR regional director Jetro Sabariaga said his office is still investigating whether the imported cigarettes and liquor passed through the Bureau of Customs (BoC).
“Such imported goods cannot leave Customs warehouses without tax stamps of the BIR. It is possible, however, that the goods also skirted the Customs,” Sabariaga said.
Sabariaga said his agents first raided the Colette warehouse in Cabanatuan where they saw 480 “master boxes” of imported cigarettes of various unknown brands, mostly from Thailand.
The agents also found documents indicating that the cigarettes were from JAS Phil Trade Inc. based in Sapang Maragul in Angeles.
“So, the agents proceeded to the warehouse in Angeles and found the 300 cases of imported liquor of known brands such as Johnny Walker and Hennessy,” he said.
The liquor’s tax stamps could have been worth P1 million, but would reach P1.8 million to include surcharges and other fees,” he added.
Sabariaga declined to identify the owners of the warehouses pending full documentation of the seized items, He said, however, that civil and criminal charges are expected to be filed against the owners.
“The owners would also be made to pay taxes thrice as much as what was normally due,” he added.
Sabariaga said his office has been monitoring tax evaders throughout his area of responsibility which covers most of Central Luzon.
Only last March, the BIR also raided in Bulacan warehouses containing cigarettes worth P3.2 billion with fake BIR stamps.
Mighty Corp., which owned the cigarettes, has since made settlement with the government by offering P25-billion tax payment, out of the P37.9 billion being charged by the BIR.
