The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will conduct a nationwide operation this month to combat illicit tobacco trade and improve its collection of excise tax, an official said Tuesday.

In a forum, BIR RR8B Regional Director South National Capital Region (NCR) Edgar Tolentino said it is conducting the operation to support the Large Taxpayers Service (LTS), a division of the agency directed to collect excise taxes.

“We have a nationwide mission order to combat this illicit tobacco trading. So it will happen this month…Because there are many (tobacco firms) that are not registered. Especially the vape companies, they don’t pay their stamps,” Tolentino said.

“Today we are conducting a covert operation, and then for the nationwide operation, that’s when we’ll find out how many areas in our jurisdiction have vape transactions,” he added.

Tolentino said the 22 regional offices of the BIR will conduct the mission order in their own jurisdictions.

Excise tax is collected from products that are dangerous to people’s health including tobacco, alcohol, and sweetened beverages; luxury or non-essential goods, products that ruin the environment; or businesses that have concessions, including fuel, cars, and minerals. Jaspearl Tan/DMS