BIR to continue crackdown ops on illicit cigarette traders

ILIGAN CITY (PIA)–After conducting the first crackdown operations against illicit cigarette traders this year, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Region 16 Director Emir Abutazil said they continue to conduct operations.

“Initial muna ito. We will expand this and will go further. Marami pa kaming nareceive na information from those sari-sari stores covered by this operation,” he said.

(This is just the beginning. We will expand on this and go further. We have received a lot of information from the various stores covered by this operation)

BIR Iligan Revenue District Officer Amanoding Esmail also looks forward to future collaborations with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and media partners in identifying the distributor, supplier, or manufacturer of illicit cigarettes.

“This is a continuing activity. This may be the start of our collaboration between BIR, media people and PNP para habulin ang taong nagbebenta but ang priority natin is ‘yung supplier, distributor o manufacturer (to look after the sellers but our priority is the supplier, distributor or manufacturer),” he said.

BIR started this nationwide campaign to get rid of illegal cigarette sellers, who cost the government between P50 billion and P100 billion in tax money. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)