Businessman Supplier of Counterfeit Cigarettes in Cagayan Arrested
Police authorities arrested a businessman who is allegedly the supplier of counterfeit cigarettes in Santa Ana Cagayan.
According to the Cagayan police report, the merchant was arrested while attempting to sell counterfeit cigarettes in the aforementioned region. Lyle Ariane Quirolgico, a resident of Pitimini St., Garden Village, Sta Maria, Bulacan, was identified as the suspect.
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Quirolgico was apprehended when a concerned citizen reported the suspect selling counterfeit cigarettes of several brands. According to the authorities, each pack of cigarettes sold by the suspect has the identical tax unique identification number.
According to the authorities, a ream of Mighty green was taken from the suspect’s possession. Rexon Ramos and Edna Agustines’ business also had seven reams of the same brand of cigarettes confiscated, which the suspect had sold to the two.
Mr. Christ Vincent Pagurayan, Illicit Trade Specialist for Philip Morris, acknowledged that the recovered contraband was counterfeit. The cigarettes seized in the operation are expected to be worth ten thousand pesos in total.
Quirogico is accused of infringing on intellectual property rights and breaching Republic Act 8293. Meanwhile, the year 2022 begins with yet another hike in “sin” fees, aimed not just at discouraging smoking and drinking, but also at raising additional funds to fund the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s universal health care (UHC) program (PhilHealth).
The tax on cigarettes has increased to P55 per pack, up from P50 last year. According to Republic Act No. 11346, or the Tobacco Tax Law of 2019, this tax would grow by P5 per year until it reaches P60 per pack of cigarettes.
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