It was indeed surprising but not necessarily fun.
Participants of the Philippine Vape Festival 2024 in Las Piñas City got an unexpected surprise Sunday when government agents, led by the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) Illicit Trade Task Force, raided the event and confiscated illicit vape products.
In a statement, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said surveillance of the event confirmed that vape products without internal revenue stamps were present.
"The illicit vape being displayed in this festival shows the brazen attitude of the vape industry against the proper taxation of vape products. They even organized a festival filled with illicit vape. The full strength of the BIR Illicit Trade Task Force will be deployed against this industry," Lumagui said.
About 5,385 illicit vape products have been seized without the necessary BIR stamp, meaning the products did not pay their corresponding duties.
The inventory of the illicit vape products confiscated during the festival is still ongoing, but the BIR said the initial estimate of tax liabilities is at least P7 million.
Earlier this month, the BIR raided the Taytay Tiangge Market and confiscated Flava and other illicit vape products.
It also raided a building in Quezon City where a Flava vending machine was confiscated.
"We have given the vape industry every warning. The BIR will raid all venues with illicit vape, even on weekends or holidays. We will raid festivals. We will raid public markets," Lumagui said.
He said criminal charges for tax evasion would be filed against violators and urged the public to inform them about the illicit vape trade.
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