Legal measures taken against 18 VAT violators in Bahrain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Eighteen trading outlets are facing fines and jail terms for possible Value Added Tax (VAT) violations. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism started the inspection clampdown in cooperation with the National Bureau of Revenue (NBR) ever since the amended VAT law took effect early this year.

Forty trading outlets have been inspected across Bahrain to ensure adequate implementation of the readjusted VAT, and violators could face fines of up to BD10,000. Competent authorities are taking legal measures against the violating establishments as well as outlets which were found guilty of tax evasion.

Lawbreakers can be jailed for five years and fined three times the amount evaded. The Ministry and NBR stressed the importance of complying with readjusted regulations, urging customers to lodge complaints and and report VAT violations via hotline 80008001 round the clock or email vat@ nbr.gov.bh.