Valenzuela City map. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Over P250,000 worth of prohibited vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products and novel tobacco items were seized in Valenzuela City, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
In a statement on Thursday, the DTI said it seized 923 units of the said products valued at P255,940 on May 4 after finding three stores with violations of the law.
DTI said that it issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to these stores and required a written explanation within 48 hours.
Alongside this inspection, Valenzuela City Government issued a closure order to two vape stores for operating without a business permit.
As of May 2, DTI reported that it already monitored 427 physical vape stores, where 139 firms were compliant.
The other 171 firms were issued Show Cause Orders (SCO), NOV, and a written explanation.
The remaining 117 firms, on the other hand, were either closed or no longer selling vape products.
Meanwhile, DTI monitored 17,828 online vape shops where only 98 stores were compliant while the rest violated the law.
During this period, there were still 57 charges filed against violators of Republic Act No. 11900 and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
According to the agency, from January to April 2023, it seized 22,286 units of uncertified vape products worth P10,553,762.80 from 1,078 firms monitored. — Maria Liezl Projella, INQUIRER.net trainee
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