P9-M cigarettes with fake tax stamps seized in Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – At least P9.4 million worth of Mighty cigarettes allegedly bearing fake tax stamps were seized from a van in Northern Samar yesterday morning.

 The van, which was loaded with 630 boxes of cigarettes, was intercepted at a ferry terminal in
Allen town, according to an inspection team from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) led by Capt. Jonnel Pogoy.

It was the third time for authorities to seize boxes of Mighty cigarettes with fake tax stamps.

In March, a raid on a warehouse in this city resulted in the seizure of some P6 million worth of the same items.

On Saturday, 14 boxes more of Mighty cigarettes worth P300,000 were seized following a raid on a warehouse in Barangay 83 San Jose, also in this city.

Pogoy said the tax stamps on the packs of cigarettes were found to be not authentic after these were subjected to the stamp verifier.

He said the cigarettes were placed under the custody of the BOC pending results of an investigation.

The inspection was witnessed by barangay officials and Sharlyn Gaspay-Mauro, counsel for Mighty Corp., Pogoy said.