National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested five persons and seized P600,000 worth of unregistered vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products when they raided four vape shops in Tarlac.
The NBI said on Tuesday, Sept. 16, the operations conducted by the bureau’s Tarlac District Office and the Department of Trade and Industry targeted thee vape shops in Tarlac City and one shop in Capas town.
“The operation resulted in the arrest of five (5) individuals and the seizure of vape products with an estimated value of P600,000,” it said.
The vape products seized were found not included in the list certified by the DTI Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-nicotine Products, their Devices, and Novel Tobacco Products (DTI-OSMV).
The public display and sale of vape products without a valid Philippine Standard (PS) Quality Certification Mark are prohibited, the NBI said.
The arrested individuals, whose names were not disclosed by the NBI, were charged before the Tarlac City Prosecutor’s Office and the Tarlac Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for violations of Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) No. 11900, the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.
The NBI said the operations were conducted based on information that several vape shops in Tarlac were selling and distributing non-compliant vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products. (Jeffrey Damicog)
