By Elhanan Pamesa
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday closed down two companies located at Subic Gateway Park Phase II here for alleged illegal manufacturing of different brands of cigarettes.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. led the raid on the facilities of Hongcim International Corp. (HIC) and its sister company, Onesubic Premier Manufacturing Corp. (OPMC), which were reportedly engaged in illegal production of cigarettes.
Lumagui said that while both companies have licenses to operate, they are manufacturing cigarettes whose brands were not registered and were also using machiners without proper permits.
“Whether locally made, imported, or for export, these products must be registered with our agency, said Romeo Lumagui Jr., BIR commissioner, during the raid.
Upon inspection, authorities found out that machines used by the firms were also not registered with the BIR.
The brand of the cigarettes manufactured was also not found on the agency’s list.
This prompted the BIR to seize five cigarette-making machines, three cigarette packaging machines, and printing machines that were used to make at least 300 cases of cigarettes per day.
The raid was part of the second wave of the BIR’s simultaneous nationwide trade enforcement against illicit cigarette trading that started on Thursday. FREEPORT INSIDER
