Non-duty-paid: cigarettes Rs 5 million tax/duty theft unearthed

Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation Inland Revenue (IR) Faisalabad has unearthed the non-payment of duties/taxes to the tune of Rs 5 million imposed on the huge stocks of non-duty-paid cigarettes that they seized from premises/godown of cigarettes. The revenue officials received information that a tobacco manufacturer was involved in sale of non-duty-paid cigarettes.
Accordingly, a team of intelligence was constituted and the said team under rule 62 of the Federal Excise Act, 2005 and Section 38 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, visited the premises/ godown of cigarette belonging to Saleem Traders at Radalla Mandi, District Faisalabad. The team found the following stock: Hero 80 cartons, Chance 27 cartons, Gold street 34 cartons, Bridge 260 cartons ie total 401 cartons. The initial inquiry revealed that the above said brands are manufactured by the said tobacco unit. No invoices showing payment of FED and Sales Tax were provided to the team at the time of visit/ seizure. The tentative revenue including duty/ taxes of seized cigarettes is worked out at Rs 5 million approximately, DG I&I IR said. The exercise is part of the agency's initiative against the illicit trade and action against the non-duty-paid cigarettes across the country.