P8-M cigarettes with fake tax stamps seized in Malabon, Manila

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has seized more than P8 million worth of cigarettes with fake tax stamps in separate raids in Malabon and Manila.

A report on Balitanghali by Jamie Santos said Saturday that the BIR Strike Team recovered 500 master cases or boxes of various brands of cigarettes with bogus tax stamps from four houses in Malabon and one house in Manila late Friday.

The BIR Strike Team said the seized cigarettes with fake tax stamps have an equivalent tax value of more than P8 million.

Apart from bearing fake tax stamps, the BIR also discovered that the seized cigarettes do not bear the proper health warning labels.

"This is not allowed anymore in the PHilippines, wala tayong label ng health warning at fake ang internal revenue stamp," BIR Strike Team leader Sonny Advincula said.

The BIR Strike Team said the raided houses were rented as part of a scheme to hide the people behind the proliferation of cigarettes with bogus tax stamps in the market.

The authorities will coordinate with the owners of the houses to get the identities of those who rented the properties. —Ted Cordero/ALG, GMA News