Commerce reporter :
A joint team of four intelligence agencies of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) seized a large quantity of alcohol and alcoholic beverages without valid documents during a raid at Kingfisher Restaurant Ltd in Gulshan in the capital early today.
A joint team comprising four intelligence units of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) seized a large quantity of alcohol and alcoholic beverages without valid documents during a raid at Kingfisher Restaurant Ltd in Gulshan in the capital early today.
The special operation began at 12:30 am, following confidential information received by the NBR that highly dutiable goods, particularly alcohol and alcoholic beverages, were being procured and sold by evading duties.
The operation aimed to identify stocks of alcohol allegedly sourced through illegal channels and smuggling, prevent value-added tax (VAT) evasion on local sales, verify whether sales proceeds were properly declared in income tax returns and examine possible links between the transactions and money laundering.
The NBR conducted the operation under its directives and the overall supervision of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), said a press release.
The joint team comprised the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC), the CIID, the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit (TIIU) and the VAT Audit, Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (VAIID).
The operation was conducted under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 2023, the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012, the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Rules, 2016, and the Income Tax Act, 2023.
The raid continued for around three hours, with the Special Response Battalion (SRB-1) providing support throughout the operation.
The NBR said it would later provide details of the seized goods, preliminary findings, potential duty and tax evasion, and subsequent legal action.
