The Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (East), has initially detected VAT evasion amounting to Tk 3.565 billion at J.I. Impex Limited, a business establishment in Bhairab, Kishoreganj. During a raid on the premises, officials seized various commercial and financial documents, along with a computer CPU.

According to the Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, the raid was conducted at around 12:30pm on September 8 based on confidential information. The operation took place at J.I. Impex Limited in the West Bazar area of Bhairab. A preventive team comprising officials from the headquarters and the Narsingdi VAT Division carried out the operation under the leadership of a joint commissioner, following instructions from the Dhaka (East) commissioner.

During the raid, officials seized various important commercial and financial documents under Mushak Form 12.3. The seized materials included 12 clip files, 98 commercial documents contained in five bundles, and 22 plastic folders. A computer CPU was also seized.

In addition, officials seized four tally books and four registers. They also seized a bundle of documents related to truck rental expenses, two memo files, 10 bundles containing details of expenses incurred by truck drivers, and computer-printed sales documents bearing the signatures of the company's officials.

Following the raid, VAT officials reviewed the seized documents. During the review, they found 72 folders and sets of documents containing monthly records of product supplies to various establishments from 2023 through September 2026. The documents contained information on raw delivery challans and sales.

According to the verification and assessment conducted by the VAT officials, the documents showed sales amounting to a total of Tk 62.174 billion. Based on an analysis and verification of the sales-related information contained in the documents, VAT evasion amounting to Tk 3.565 billion was initially detected, the Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (East), said.

Officials said the company's sales and VAT-related accounts were examined based on the information found in the seized documents. Although the documents revealed sales involving a substantial amount of money, officials are examining whether the applicable VAT was paid against those transactions. As part of this verification process, the initial assessment identified VAT evasion amounting to Tk 3,565,?83,798.

The process of filing a VAT evasion case against J.I. Impex Limited is currently underway, according to the Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (East).

VAT officials said the seized documents and other relevant information are still being reviewed. Further legal action will be taken after the verification process is completed and the extent of the VAT evasion and other relevant issues are determined.