Illicit Influx

The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) is concerned about an influx of illicit cigarettes and cigarette manufacturing equipment from China, according to a report in The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Speaking to reporters, BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero said he would raise the issue with his Chinese counterpart when they meet this month.

On Oct. 27,  authorities seized 2,727 master cases of smuggled Canon and Fort cigarettes worth about PHP95 million ($1.88 million) from a vessel in the waters of Siasi.

Two days earlier, the Bureau of Internal Revenue raided a warehouse in Binondo, Manila, which yielded 145 master cases containing 1.45 million sticks of Chinese-branded cigarettes.

Revenue officials acknowledged that recent tax hikes could be factor the proliferation of illicit cigarettes and fake tax stamps.