The Federal Tax Authority will carry out 176,000 inspection visits to markets in 2025

Today, the Federal Tax Authority announced an increase in the number of field inspection visits carried out by its specialized teams in cooperation with the relevant authorities, to about 176,000 inspection visits during the past year in local markets in all the emirates of the country, an annual increase of about 89% compared to the year 2024, during which the authority carried out about 93,000 visits, stressing the strengthening of its supervisory efforts to combat tax evasion, increase the level of tax compliance, and protect the rights of consumers.

The authority explained in a statement that its ongoing oversight efforts resulted in the seizure and confiscation of 29.5 million violating packages of non-compliant tobacco products that did not carry “digital tax stamps” during the year 2025, compared to about 11 million violating packages that were seized during inspection visits carried out in 2024, an increase of 169%.

She added that about 7.6 million violating packages of other selective goods were seized, which include soft drinks, energy drinks and sweetened drinks, compared to about four million violating packages of other selective goods that were seized during inspection visits carried out in 2024, an increase of more than 90%.

The Authority indicated that the total value of the tax dues and related fines that were seized during the inspection visits carried out in the year 2025 amounted to more than 608 million dirhams, compared to 348 million dirhams during the visits carried out in 2024, an increase of about 75%, noting that the effective supervision of the markets contributed to the detection of many establishments violating tax laws, and registration notices were sent to violating establishments.

The Director General of the Federal Tax Authority, Abdulaziz Muhammad Al-Mulla, said: “The Authority continues its intensive efforts to effectively contribute to the supervision of local markets in cooperation with the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with tax legislation and procedures. The inspections carried out by the Authority rely on various electronic control mechanisms to prevent the sale, trading, or storage of products that do not meet the value-added tax or selective tax due. Among these mechanisms is the (distinctive marking system on tobacco and its products), which has witnessed continuous development processes since its launch more than six years ago, where (stamps) are installed.” Digital Tax) on packages of tobacco products, and is registered in the Authority’s database, and each stamp includes electronically recorded information that can be read with a special device used by authorized inspectors to verify payment of the tax on these products.”

Al-Mulla stressed that the results of the inspection campaigns carried out during the year 2025 confirm the success of the comprehensive regulatory plans that are carefully implemented, while the Authority is intensifying its efforts to help business sectors comply with tax regulations and procedures as they are strategic partners to enable them to comply voluntarily and deal efficiently and consciously with the tax system.

In turn, the Executive Director of the Tax Compliance Sector at the Federal Tax Authority, Sarah Al-Habashi, said: “The Authority is keen to protect consumers from the leakage of harmful products that do not conform to the quality standards approved in the country. It is also keen to combat tax evasion through the careful implementation of tax legislation and procedures that clearly define all mutual obligations between the Authority and taxpayers, while taking full care to protect consumers by tightening control over the country’s markets.”