MANILA, Philippines– The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Tuesday filed criminal complaints against illegal vape businesses for not paying P8.68 billion in taxes before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The companies facing charges are operating under the brand names Flava, Denkat, and Flare.
The BIR accused the companies of violating the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 by unlawfully possessing vape products without payment of excise tax, committing tax evasion, and failing to file excise tax returns.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. confirmed that the agency uncovered the tax evasion scheme through covert operations.
These operations led to the seizure of thousands of vape products lacking proper tax stamps.
The BIR warned retailers that they would face legal consequences if caught distributing vape products with unpaid excise taxes.
The agency advised consumers to check for Tamaraw tax stamps on packaging to ensure tax compliance.
