BOC finds fake tax stamps in raid of Mighty Corp. warehouse in Bulacan

Operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) raided a warehouse of Mighty Corporation in Bulacan on Friday morning and discovered P3.2-million worth of products with fake tax stamps, GMA News' John Consulta reported on "News To Go."

The Customs personnel, led by BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, entered the company's warehouse in San Ildefonso, Bulacan and conducted a random sampling of all the boxes of cigarettes inside the warehouse. 

Using scanners, tag readers, and a tax verifier, the BOC found the samples having fake tax stamps.

The report said further inspection would have to be done to confirm if all the products inside the warehouse carried fake tax stamps.

The BOC said it would be filing tax evasion charges against the company, even as future raids on other warehouses of Mighty Corp. are already being considered.

A separate report on Balitanghali said a Mighty Corp. lawyer later arrived at the warehouse and insisted that the tax stamps in their cigarette products were authentic.

The tobacco company has previously insisted the scanners being used by the BOC were defective.

Judge Tita Bughao Alisuag of the Manila Regional Trial Court, Branch 1 earlier issued a 20-day temporary restraining order preventing the BOC from conducting raids and inspections on Might Corp.'s warehouses.

The TRO's effectivity ended yesterday, March 23. But the judge has since inhibited from the case, citing threats to her life.

Inspection is ongoing as of posting time. —KG/MDM, GMA News