FTA closes 3 businesses for violating excise tax laws

The Federal Tax Authority, FTA, has closed three commercial establishments for violating its excise tax laws, after an inspection campaign in cooperation with the Department of Economic Development of Dubai, DED, as part of their joint efforts to limit tax violations.

The FTA and the DED investigated cases of tax evasion by commercial businesses after a date was set for their joint inspection, which resulted in the apprehension of three retail outlets for violating tax laws. After the inspections were completed and various evidence examined, energy drink products were discovered that proved transgressions by a company while cases of tax evasion were discovered in commercial establishments that sold goods subject to excise tax. The FTA subsequently followed their procedures, confiscated the products, and decided to close the three shops until it could reassess the alleged tax violations.

Khalid Al Bustani, Director-General of the FTA, highlighted the importance of cooperating with local departments concerned with commercial compliance and consumer protection in the UAE, to apply the excise tax and enforce relevant laws. Businesses should not exploit excise tax as an excuse to raise their prices for consumers, he added, highlighting that the FTA has coordinated with relevant local departments to organise periodic inspection campaigns.

He also praised the cooperation of the DED’s Commercial Compliance Sector while highlighting their ongoing joint efforts to protect consumers and apply the tax.

Mohammed Rashed Ali Lootah, Executive Director of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection, CCCP, Sector, stated that cooperation and coordination with the FTA helps to protect the national economy from tax evasion and transgressions against the rights of commercial agents, according to existing commercial laws while highlighting the necessity of coordinating with the FTA in the field inspections of markets, to prevent violations of tax and commercial laws and protect the business sector and consumers.

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