NBR raids Gulshan restaurant, seizes alcohol over suspected duty evasion

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 on Kingfisher Restaurant Ltd in the capital’s Gulshan area.

The special operation began at 12.30am yesterday (25 October) and continued for around three hours, 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 was carried out under the NBR’s directives and the overall supervision of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), according to a press release issued today (26 October).

The participating agencies were the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC), CIID, Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit (TIIU), and VAT Audit, Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (VAIID).

The team conducted the raid to identify stocks of alcohol allegedly obtained through illegal sources and smuggling, prevent value-added tax (VAT) evasion on local sales, verify whether sales proceeds had been properly declared in income tax returns, and examine possible links between the transactions and money laundering.

The operation was conducted under the 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 Special Response Battalion (SRB-1) provided support throughout the operation.

The NBR did not specify the quantity or estimated value of the seized alcohol in its press release issued on Monday.