The House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, under its chairman Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, has called for a thorough investigation on cigarette and tobacco products smuggling activities in the country during a briefing with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday, Nov. 22. The committee he
(PIXABAY / FILE PHOTO)
Lawmakers have found out that GB Global Exprez Inc. and GB-BEM Cigarette Company Inc., both operating inside economic zones, persisted with their manufacturing operations despite PEZA’s suspension order last February.
At the meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee Technical Working Group (TWG) chaired by Party-list Rep. Jericho Jonas “Koko” Nograles on April 20, committee members said they have received reports that the two companies remain operational producing 8389 brand cigarettes.
The TWG is working on addressing the loopholes in the system of the importation and exportation of tobacco products which, according to Nograles, are being abused by cigarettes manufacturers located in economic zones.
BIR promises to remove export cigarettesâ tax-stamp exemption
March 1, 2021 | 7:44 pm
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said it will withdraw the tax-stamp exemption of export cigarettes, after a legislator cited the potential for these products to enter the market as tax-free smuggled goods.
At the House Ways and Means Committee hearing Monday, the chairman, Representative Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda, said the BIR should revoke Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 9-2015, which grants the exemption. He called unstamped export cigarettes âthe mother lode of smuggling.â
BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay said the agency will reverse its rules in response to Mr. Salcedaâs proposal.
Published January 13, 2021, 3:05 PM
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has raised alarm over the security of seized fake cigarettes and manufacturing equipment which were ordered by a court to be returned to a suspected illicit trader.
The confiscated Two Moon and Soho cigarette packs that do not carry information on the country destination, details of manufacturer, and tax stamps as proof of payment as required by law. The master cases in the background are also unmarked contrary to law requirements that the boxes must bear the cigarette brand name.
The agency was slapped with an injunction by the Court of Tax Appeals following its raid of GB Global Exprez Inc., a cigarette company located at the Angeles Industrial Park in Pampanga which is supposedly engaged in the export of cigarettes.
Published January 7, 2021, 3:00 PM
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed a motion for reconsideration before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) seeking to reverse a preliminary injunction over the seizure of illicit cigarettes and manufacturing equipment of GB Global Exprez Inc. operating inside the Angeles Industrial Park, Pampanga.
Two Moon cigarette packs that were seized did not have the country destination, details of manufacturer, and tax stamps as proof of payment of excise tax which are required by law.
The case stemmed from a raid conducted by BIR-National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Composite Team on the factory of GB Global on July 29, 2020. The court has granted GB’s request for an injunction and ordered the return of all those seized in the raid including suspected fake cigarettes supposedly for export but do not carry the destination country and the details of the manufacturer on the pack as required by law.