Home
Company
Product
Regulation
China
Data
Exhibition
Interview
中文版
Home
Company
Product
Regulation
China
Data
Exhibition
Interview
中文版
Search

Philippine BIR Seizes 560,000 Illegal E-Cigarettes in Nationwide Raids, $7.1 Million in Tax Evasion Detected

Dec.03.2024
Philippine BIR Seizes 560,000 Illegal E-Cigarettes in Nationwide Raids, $7.1 Million in Tax Evasion Detected
The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has confiscated over 560,000 illegal e-cigarette products and shuttered 817 stores in a nationwide crackdown. The total tax evasion amount is estimated at $7.1 million.

On December 3, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) of the Philippines reported that, following a month-long crackdown on illegal e-cigarette retailers and distributors, a total of 817 shops were raided. During the operation, 563,284 e-cigarette products were seized, with a total tax amount of approximately PHP 415 million (about $7.1 million), including fines. 

 

These figures cover raids conducted from October 16 to November 22 of this year. Common violations included the absence of internal tax stamps, failure to pay excise taxes, and unregistered e-cigarette brands.

 

菲律宾国税局报告：一个月内查获56万件非法电子烟，涉税金额达710万美元
BIR Launches Nationwide E-Cigarette Raids | Image Source: BIR Official Website

 

Earlier, BIR conducted a raid in Quezon City at a vape shop offering illegal e-cigarettes through a "secret menu," where customers could browse and order products from the store's back warehouse.

 

菲律宾国税局报告：一个月内查获56万件非法电子烟，涉税金额达710万美元
BIR Launches Nationwide E-Cigarette Raids | Image Source: BIR Official Website

 

Additionally, BIR has received complaints about illegal online sales of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. The report indicates that, due to BIR’s regular raids on warehouses and physical stores, some retailers and distributors have shifted to selling e-cigarettes online.

 

"All online platforms and e-marketplaces should not offer for sale all illicit vape. Take them down. Block the online sellers from doing business in your platforms. Check for other keywords or phrases that these criminals use to hide or mask what they are really selling in your platforms," Lumagui said.

 

References:
[1] Lumagui: BIR Nationwide Operation against Illicit Vape Retailers/Resellers reaches 817 Illicit Vape Establishments raided, 563,284 Units/Pods seized, with Total Tax Liability of Php 415M after a month of raids; Report all Illicit Physical and/or Online Vape Stores to the BIR
Also Read:
[1] DTI Lifts Trade Ban on AEROGIN and RELX, FLARE and Others Still Need PS Certification
[2] Philippine Tax Bureau Cracks Down on Vape Store Selling Illicit Products
[3] Philippines Seizes $80M in Illegal Vapes Over 10 Months
[4] Philippine Finance Department: Tobacco and E-cigarette Smuggling Costs $900 Million Annually
[5] Philippines BIR E-Cigarette Tax Revenue Reaches $17M, Covers Less Than 10-20% of Market
[6] Philippine BIR to Intensify Crackdown on Illegal E-cigarette Market as Revenue Falls Short
[7] Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue to intensify crackdown on illegal e-cigarette products
[8] Philippines DTI: Unregulated E-cigarette Products Flood Market, Urges Legal Purchases
[9] Revised Regulations on Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Vaping Products
#E-cigarettes#Asia#Philippines#Enforcement

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn

Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

China Tobacco Regulation Shift：Policy Updates and Market Impact
China Tobacco Regulation Shift：Policy Updates and Market Impact
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As regulators pay closer attention to child safety in nicotine pouches, manufacturers face a practical challenge: how to strengthen child-resistant packaging without unnecessarily reworking products, production lines and regulatory submissions already in place. In a written interview with 2Firsts, Chemular detailed Safeguard’s external packaging approach, its customer-specific testing requirements and possible PMTA pathways. The model remains early-stage, but it offers a new way to think about an increasingly important regulatory and manufacturing issue.
Industry Insight
Sep.19
EU Tobacco Tax Reform Targets November Push as Sweden Holds Nicotine-Pouch Minimum at €20 per Kilogram
EU Tobacco Tax Reform Targets November Push as Sweden Holds Nicotine-Pouch Minimum at €20 per Kilogram
The Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union is using bilateral talks to push the bloc’s Tobacco Taxation Directive toward a political agreement in November. According to Law360, citing an EU official, Sweden is unwilling to accept a minimum excise threshold above €20 per kilogram for nicotine pouches. Council negotiations have already lowered the European Commission’s original proposal, but a May 2026 presidency compromise still set the minimum at 10% of the tax-inclusive retail price or €30 per kilogram in 2028-29, with higher levels later.
Market
Sep.17 by 2Firsts Perspectives
FDA Unifies Tobacco Registration and Product Listing Form Across Product Categories
FDA Unifies Tobacco Registration and Product Listing Form Across Product Categories
The U.S. FDA has consolidated two tobacco establishment registration and product listing forms into a redesigned Form FDA 3741 covering all regulated product categories, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. The current requirements remain limited to domestic establishments. Separately, the FDA has proposed extending registration and product listing requirements to foreign manufacturers, signaling greater regulatory attention to manufacturing entities and product-level information across the tobacco and nicotine supply chain.
FDA
Sep.30
UK HMRC Launches Vape Duty Stamps on October 1, Ushering in Supply-Chain Traceability as Chinese Exporters Face New Compliance Hurdles
UK HMRC Launches Vape Duty Stamps on October 1, Ushering in Supply-Chain Traceability as Chinese Exporters Face New Compliance Hurdles
HM Revenue & Customs put the UK's Vaping Products Duty and Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme into effect on October 1. All vaping liquids manufactured in or imported into the UK are now subject to duty at £2.20 per 10ml, regardless of nicotine content. The stamp regime will introduce digital functionality designed to provide traceability throughout the supply chain, with approved manufacturers, importers and warehousekeepers required to report product movements and retailers and consumers eventually able to scan stamps to verify authenticity. China exported $177 million of vape-related products to the UK in August, up 51.4% year over year, increasing the significance of the new compliance regime for China's Shenzhen-centered vape supply chain.
Regulations
Oct.04
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
Philip Morris International (PMI) showcased IQOS heated tobacco systems and nicotine pouch products at Technovation 2026 in Buenos Aires on October 7–8, presenting research on consumer attitudes, regulatory developments and illicit cigarette trade across Latin America. PMI Chief Global Growth Officer Stefano Volpetti said smoke-free products accounted for more than 7% of the Mexico City market. Argentina repealed its heated tobacco ban in May 2026 and introduced registration requirements for tobacco and nicotine products, while local media reported nicotine pouch sales in Mendoza. A PMI-commissioned survey found that only 8% of respondents across four Latin American countries were familiar with nicotine pouches. A separate KPMG study estimated illicit cigarette consumption at 77 billion sticks across 11 markets in Latin America and Canada in 2025.
PMI
Oct.13
Elf Bar Vape Explosion and Amputation Claim Spurs Coverage Suit, U.S. Insurer MUSIC Seeks Ruling It Owes No Duty to Defend or Indemnify Distributor i5
Elf Bar Vape Explosion and Amputation Claim Spurs Coverage Suit, U.S. Insurer MUSIC Seeks Ruling It Owes No Duty to Defend or Indemnify Distributor i5
Mesa Underwriters Specialty Insurance Company has asked a federal court in Washington to declare that it has no duty to defend or indemnify vape distributor i5 Distribution in a product liability case involving an Elf Bar BC5000. The plaintiff alleges that the disposable vape caught fire and exploded in his pocket, causing severe burns and ultimately requiring an above-the-knee amputation of his left leg. MUSIC is relying on a tobacco, nicotine or nicotine replacement products exclusion and a premises limitation endorsement. The court has not ruled on the coverage dispute.
News
Sep.10
Related Topics
HEADLINE Regulation
Related Read
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
EU Tobacco Tax Reform Targets November Push as Sweden Holds Nicotine-Pouch Minimum at €20 per Kilogram
EU Tobacco Tax Reform Targets November Push as Sweden Holds Nicotine-Pouch Minimum at €20 per Kilogram
2Firsts Perspectives
FDA Unifies Tobacco Registration and Product Listing Form Across Product Categories
FDA Unifies Tobacco Registration and Product Listing Form Across Product Categories
UK HMRC Launches Vape Duty Stamps on October 1, Ushering in Supply-Chain Traceability as Chinese Exporters Face New Compliance Hurdles
UK HMRC Launches Vape Duty Stamps on October 1, Ushering in Supply-Chain Traceability as Chinese Exporters Face New Compliance Hurdles
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
Elf Bar Vape Explosion and Amputation Claim Spurs Coverage Suit, U.S. Insurer MUSIC Seeks Ruling It Owes No Duty to Defend or Indemnify Distributor i5
Elf Bar Vape Explosion and Amputation Claim Spurs Coverage Suit, U.S. Insurer MUSIC Seeks Ruling It Owes No Duty to Defend or Indemnify Distributor i5
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Contact: info@2firsts.com
Stay up to date.
Submit your email to receive weekly newsletter on the most relevant news of the e-cigarette industry.
© 2026 2FIRSTS. All Right Reserved.
2FIRSTS is only accessible to industry practitioners, researchers, media and other professionals. Access by minors is prohibited.
This website provides services to users outside the Chinese mainland.
English
English
中文