The Bureau of Internal Revenue in Central Visayas (BIR-Regional Office 13) revealed that it raided a warehouse in Daanbantayan, Cebu involved in illegal cigarette manufacturing recently.

BIR-13 regional director Douglas Rufino disclosed that operatives from different agencies confiscated P50 million worth of cigarette packing machines and P32 million worth of illegally manufactured cigarettes.

“It was through an intelligence report from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) that we were able to conduct the raid and the seizure in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group,” Rufino said.

But these cigarettes and packing machines were seized in a Mandaue City warehouse which had been smuggled out of Daanbantayan.

A case has already been filed before the Provincial Prosecution Office against 5 caretakers in the Daanbantayan warehouse.

In the Daanbantayan raid, seized were unregistered documentary stamps and other evidence that led to the raid in Mandaue City.

“Before there were smuggled cigarettes coming from Malaysia, Indonesia, and China, but now Cebu has already the illegal cigarette manufacturing,” Rufino stressed.

This confirmation, according to Rufino, came from complaints from Philip Morris and Mighty.

Initial investigation disclosed that the illegal operation is being financed by Chinese nationals.

Rufino assures sustained surveillance operations are being conducted.