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Five Chinese Nationals Charged with Tax Evasion in Philippines

Mar.28.2025
Five Chinese Nationals Charged with Tax Evasion in Philippines
Five Chinese nationals charged with tax evasion in the Philippines, accused of evading $99.3 million in taxes through illegal cigarette trading.

Key points:

  • Five Chinese nationals have been accused of tax evasion, involving a total amount of 5.7 billion pesos (99.3 million US dollars).
  • This case was exposed due to large-scale illegal cigarette trafficking.
  • The Philippines emphasizes strengthening inter-agency cooperation among government institutions to combat tax evasion.

According to a report from Philstar on March 28, the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Philippines has filed tax evasion charges against five Chinese nationals. The five individuals are accused of evading payment of 5.7 billion pesos (approximately 99.3 million US dollars) in taxes related to illegal cigarette trading.

 

This case originated from the seizure of 21,000 boxes of illegal cigarettes in six locations in Valenzuela and Bulacan provinces in 2024.

 

The Department of Justice has announced that the Tax Appeals Court (CTA) is expected to issue arrest warrants for these five Chinese nationals.

 

Evidence submitted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in the Philippines showed that the total tax obligations of these Chinese nationals exceeded 5.76 billion pesos (100 million US dollars).

 

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the filing of these charges indicates that, "as long as government agencies concentrate resources and intensify efforts to combat tax evasion, criminal activities that harm our country's economy can be defeated.

 

References:
[1] 5 Chinese indicted for P5.7 billion tax evasion
Also Read:
[1] Massive Seizure of Illicit E-cigarettes and Pods in Philippines
[2] Philippine Police Seizes $70,000 Worth of Unregistered e-Cigarettes
[3] Philippines Seizes $21 Million in Counterfeit Goods, Including Kylinbar E-Cigarettes
[4] BIR Cracks Down on Illegal Cigarette Operations in Philippines
[5] Philippine Customs Seize Billions Worth of Smuggled Items in 2024
[6] BIR to Intensify Enforcement Against Illegal E-cigarette and Cigarette Trading
[7] Philippine Congress Passes Bill on Tobacco and E-cigarette Tax Adjustments

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