Federal Tax Authority and Abu Dhabi Police Special Patrol Department review results of the seizure of contraband goods

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) held a meeting with the Abu Dhabi Police's Special Patrol Department at FTA’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two entities for the seizure of contraband goods that have not paid the taxes due and also reviewed the results of their joint efforts. 
The meeting was chaired by the Director of the Special Patrol Department, Lt Colonel Staff Pilot Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan with H.E. Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director-General of the Federal Tax Authority, and was attended by members of the FTA's Compliance and Tax Enforcement Department and the Special Patrol and Department.
The meeting discussed the mechanisms to control contraband goods through campaigns by the FTA and Al Mirsad team overseeing Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Dhafra area. This is part of the FTA's plans to contribute to strengthening market control by ensuring compliance with tax legislation and procedures, protecting legitimate trade, and preventing sale of smuggled products and tax evasion. 
The two entities will cooperate to control all goods that have not paid taxes due in Abu Dhabi, including tobacco and tobacco products, liquids used in electronic smoking devices and tools, electronic smoking devices and tools, soft drinks, energy drinks and sweetened beverages.
The Authority said these campaigns were part of ongoing efforts carried out in cooperation with the competent authorities, and stressed the need for producers, importers and retail outlets to comply with excise tax legislation in accordance with Federal Decree Law No. 7 of 2017 on Excise Tax and its amendments, to avoid penalties and fines applicable in case of non-compliance with the laws.
Lt Colonel Staff Pilot Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Director of the Special Patrol Department, expressed appreciation of the FTA for their efforts and steadfast pursuit of a fair tax system that conforms with the vision of the UAE by ensuring application of all legislation and laws. Lt Colonel Staff Pilot Zayed bin Hamad stressed that cooperation between the Abu Dhabi Police and the Authority was in the public interest and contributed to improving government services.
H.E. Khalid Ali Al Bustani thanked the Abu Dhabi Police Special Patrol Department and the Al Mirsad team for their efforts and continuous support, which contribute to the achievement of the FTA’s strategic objectives to build an integrated and equitable tax system in the UAE. H.E. Al Bustani commended the team's swift response in emergencies to protect consumers' rights, combat tax evasion and increase the level of tax compliance.
The meeting reviewed the results achieved by these campaigns from 2021 to 2023, reflected in 87 seizure reports with the number of products seized reaching 688,543. Al Mirsad team contributed to the seizure of 39.5% of contraband in the Emirate.
The meeting also highlighted the challenges to the teams' work and opportunities for improvement in services, and ways to strengthen areas of cooperation and future partnership between the FTA and Al Mirsad team. 
The FTA confirmed their readiness to adopt sophisticated electronic control mechanisms aimed at preventing the sale, circulation, or storage of any type of products that have not paid due taxes. Such control devices include the "Digital tax stamps" - registered in the FTA database - on tobacco packs and products. Each stamp contains electronically recorded information that can be read by a special device used by the authorized inspectors to ensure all due taxes have been paid. The FTA also endeavours to strengthen cooperation and coordination with all relevant federal and local government agencies to ensure tax compliance across the UAE.