The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed 75 criminal complaints against illicit vape retailers and sellers before the Department of Justice (DOJ), covering simultaneous operations nationwide across all revenue regions.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. announced “ngayong araw, inihain namin sa DOJ ang 75 criminal complaints laban sa mga illicit vape retailers/sellers sabay sabay sa National at lahat ng Revenue Regions. Ang kabuuang tax liability nga mga ito ay nasa ₱711.3 milyon.”
The complaints stemmed from successive enforcement operations that seized untaxed, unstamped, and unregistered vape products.
“Patas dapat mag negosyo sa Pilipinas. Bawal ang ilegal na vape. Bawal ang ghost receipts.”
Lumagui said the new cases build on earlier landmark actions, including the ₱1.2 billion case against Tap Fog in February 2024 and the ₱8.7 billion case against Flava, Denkat, and Flare in April 2025.
“Layunin namin na itigil ang pandaraya at protektahan ang mga tapat na negosyo na nagbabayad ng tamang buwis,” the Commissioner said, as he stressed that the agency’s anti-illicit trade drive is aimed at creating a level playing field for law-abiding businesses.
He added that “patas dapat mag negosyo sa Pilipinas. Bawal ang ilegal na vape. Bawal ang ghost receipts. Bawal ang large scale online businesses na hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis.”
“Wag n’yo nang hintayin na kayo ang susunod naming kasuhan. Tigilan n’yo na ’yan.”
The BIR has intensified its crackdown on illicit vape trade in recent months. In May, Lumagui revealed that the agency conducted nationwide visits to thousands of vape shops to monitor compliance, noting how some retailers hid untaxed products in “secret menus” and stockrooms.
In June, the BIR and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seized more than 18,000 vape products and fake excise stamps in Bulacan, uncovering an estimated ₱36.5 million in tax liabilities.
