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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider NBI seizes P1.3-B worth of 'illegally repacked' cigarettes in Olongapo City

NBI seizes P1.3-B worth of 'illegally repacked' cigarettes in Olongapo City

Published Aug 27, 2021 05:13 pm

National Bureau of Investigation (2)

More than P1.3 billion worth of alleged illegally repacked imported cigarettes have been seized from a warehouse in Olongapo City where two Malaysians were also arrested, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Friday, Aug. 27.

In a statement, the NBI’s Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (NBI-TFAID) raided the warehouse of Bumi Jaya International Corp. (Bumi Jaya) located in the Subic Bay Gateway Park (SBGP) armed with a search warrants issued by the Olongapo City regional trial court (RTC) Branch 97.

It said the operation “resulted in the seizure of repacked Chinese cigarettes, equipment used in repacking, repacking materials, and several BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) tax stamps.”

“NBI-TFAID also seized 45,000 master boxes of assorted Chinese cigarettes with estimated value of P1,350,000,000. Workers of BUMI JAYA were also caught in flagrante delicto (caught in the act) of repacking Chunghwa cigarettes,” it stated.

NBI agents also arrested Bumi Jaya president Tan Ah-Seng and vice president Tan Yan Teng, both Malaysian nationals.

The NBI said the two Malaysians were presented for inquest before the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office for violations of Section 1423 of Republic Act No. 10863, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

It said Bumi Jaya incorporators Gina Tsai, Lian hong, Adelia C. Tan, and Chi Jung Hsiao were named co-respondents in the charges.

“Pursuing its investigation, NBI-TFAID will request the BIR to certify whether or not the seized tax stamps are counterfeit, in preparation for filing of additional charges against the incorporators/officers of Bumi Jaya for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code,” it also said.

The NBI said the operation arose from information that the Bumi Jaya warehouse has been “involved in the illegal repacking of imported cigarettes from China and diverting it to domestic market.”

“Investigation revealed that BUMI JAYA was incorporated on Jan. 9, 2002. On Nov. 18, 2015, Mr. Vincent Sauvalere, Head of Tobacco and Counterfeit Goods Unit of European Anti-Fraud Office requested the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to conduct investigation on Bumi Jaya in relation to smuggling of tobacco products into the European Union. Bumi Jaya became a licensed trans-shipper engaged in trans-shipping tobacco products to different countries on Jan. 4, 2017,” the NBI said.

“Under BOC (Bureau of Customs) Customs Administrative Order (COA) No. 12-2019, the handling and movement or transshipment of goods from the carrier to and within the customs facilities and warehouses inside the port of entry shall be under the continuous supervision and subject to the rules and regulation issued by the BOC to include safeguard measures to ensure that the transshipped goods shall not be diverted to domestic market,” it explained.

After securing a search warrant, the NBI said its agents starting getting footages of the reported illegal repacking activities taking place inside the warehouse.

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