• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A Chinese national is now facing charges for violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, following his recent arrest and the confiscation of about P7.8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Bacolod City.
The joint operation of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit – Negros Island Region and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, in coordination with Police Station 9, on August 29 led to the arrest of a Chinese national identified by CIDG as Ke Kunming, alias Allan, 41.
According to CIDG-RFU-NIR, the arrested suspect was allegedly engaged in selling and trading smuggled cigarettes, without any authority from the Philippine government.
Confiscated were 42 boxes of Carnival (red) cigarettes, 271 packs of Carnival cigarettes, 10 packs of New Berlin cigarettes, and one rim of Nise cigarettes, valued at P7,825,000.
CIDG and BIR vowed to continue working together in the fight against tax evasion and illicit trade in Negros Island Region.*
