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MANILA, Philippines — Philippine authorities have intensified their campaign against the burgeoning black market for vape products, seizing approximately P15 million worth of illicit vape devices and paraphernalia from a house in Tondo, Manila, on Monday evening.

The raid, conducted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), followed intelligence indicating the residence was operating as an undeclared warehouse for illegal vape merchandise. BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui stated that the confiscated items lacked the mandatory BIR-issued excise stamps, a clear violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, which mandates excise taxes on these products.

“We conducted the raid because we found that illegal products were being sold here — illicit vape products and illegal vape paraphernalia,” Commissioner Lumagui told reporters. “We entered and found them. These are vape products, pods, which are unregistered and lack the seals, and are also not registered with the BIR. We also coordinated with the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry); even the paraphernalia were unregistered.”

Initial investigations suggest these unregulated products were being sold online at significantly lower prices than their legitimate counterparts.

“What we are sure of is that the price is lower, cheaper, but that doesn’t mean consumers should just bite,” Lumagui cautioned. “We don’t know the quality of these products. They haven’t gone through the DTI, they haven’t gone through inspection. They might be inhaling poison.”

He added a warning to online vendors: “They probably think we can’t catch them, that’s why they are proliferating in online stores. But now we will show that you are not safe selling online. This wasn’t even a real warehouse, but a house.”

The BIR is urging the public to report any suspicious online sales of vape products. Commissioner Lumagui advised consumers to look for the “tamaraw” excise tax stamp, which indicates that the product has paid its excise tax to the BIR. He also noted that legitimate vape devices should bear a Philippine Standard (PS) marking from the DTI.

The seized disposable vape products and pods will be disposed of in a BIR warehouse, while the illicit paraphernalia will be confiscated by DTI officials. Authorities are currently investigating the owner of the seized items, who faces charges including unlawful pursuit of business and illegal possession of excisable products.