Illegal cigarette machines seized

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC), in coordination with the Port of Clark and local police, seized Tuesday, January 22, eight imported machines for manufacturing cigarettes in San Simon, Pampanga.

The BOC Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), led by Director Felimon Yogi Ruiz and armed with letters of authority signed by Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, raided two warehouses suspected to be venues for the manufacture of counterfeit cigarettes.

The operation resulted in the discovery of eight unregistered cigarette-making machines housed in warehouses at Global Aseana Business Park and San Simon Industrial Park, both located along Quezon Road in the town.

Ruiz said the operation stemmed from information gathered by the ESS that there were warehouses producing fake cigarettes, using imported raw materials.

He said two weeks prior to the actual operation, the warehouses were subjected to surveillance by the customs police.

"These machines are worth P200 million as certified by the legitimate cigarette makers, and can produce 400 master cases of cigarettes or 4,000,000 sticks per day," said Ruiz.

The operatives padlocked the warehouses while waiting for the warrant of seizure and detention to be issued by the District Collector of the Port of Clark.

The local police, led by Chief Inspector Louie Gonzaga, said they are now in close coordination with BOC officials for the continuous surveillance of warehouses, which are possibly used for the manufacture of counterfeit cigarettes.

Gonzaga also refused to identify the operators of the said illegal machines while investigation is ongoing to preserve the confidentiality of the case.

“We are eyeing follow-up operations in the other warehouses which might also be used in illegal activities. Several personalities believed to be behind the illegal manufacture of cigarettes are also already under surveillance,” he said.

Gonzaga also assured that the local police will heighten their monitoring activities to locate other facilities that are used as venue for illegal activities, and apprehend personalities behind them.

The local government has yet to issue a statement regarding the issue.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is still assessing the revenue liability of the foreign national, whose name was not yet revealed by government enforcers, operating the alleged illegal cigarette manufacturing.

In February 2018, operatives of the BOC from Metro Manila and Pampanga conducted a surprise inspection of warehouses inside the San Simon Industrial Park that resulted in the discovery of suspected fake cigarettes worth some P2 billion.

In May 2018, BIR personnel, together with police officers, swooped down on two warehouses with one turning out to be a factory of suspected fake cigarettes inside the San Simon Industrial Park here.

The raiding team was led by Revenue Officer Sonny Advincula, head of the BIR Strike Team that was recently formed as the lead BIR enforcement activities on smuggled items and locally-manufactured counterfeit excisable products.

BOC agents swooped down on warehouses at Block 3 Lot 19, Block 9 Lot 6, and Block 8 Lot 15. The four warehouses yielded hundreds of alleged fake cigarette products bearing the name of Mighty Corporation and its product, Marvel.

Also in late August, boxes of counterfeit cigarettes and guns with ammunition were seized by local authorities from four individuals, including two police who went on absence without official leave in Barangay Sto. Niño. (with Ian Ocampo Flora)

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