Cops seize 55 master cases of untaxed cigarettes

Metro Manila police and revenue officers confiscated 55 master cases of illegal cigarettes valued at P137,390 following a stockroom raid in Caloocan City that stemmed from a voluntary surrender in nearby Valenzuela City.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) launched the operation after a transport courier sought police assistance in Valenzuela City.

The driver reported that an intended recipient failed to show up to receive a delivery and became unreachable, prompting the courier to hand over 19 boxes of Carnival Red cigarettes to authorities for verification.

Using information gathered from the surrendered goods, NCRPO personnel coordinated with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to trace the origin of the shipment.

The BIR issued a mission order authorizing an inspection of a rented storage facility in Barangay 89, Caloocan City, where enforcement teams discovered 55 master cases of Carnival Red King Size Class A Filter cigarettes.

BIR inspectors confirmed that the seized packages lacked mandatory government tax stamps required under the National Internal Revenue Code, pointing to tax evasion and illegal distribution.

Law enforcement officers inventoried the contraband before transferring the items to an authorized facility for secure storage and eventual disposal.

Investigators are working to identify the individuals who leased the Caloocan stockroom. The facility’s property owner was not present during the inspection.