Dubai: Authorities from the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) have seized over AED 3.5 million worth of illegal excise goods concealed within clothing and footwear cargo at a Dubai-based establishment. The operation revealed large quantities of undeclared tobacco products and excise beverages intended for export.
The hidden items included counterfeit cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, raw tobacco, and nicotine pouches. According to the FTA, the unpaid excise tax on these products amounts to approximately AED 133.2 million.
The seized goods include:
• 1.56 million packs of cigarettes
• 1.77 million packs of electronic smoking devices and accessories
• 111,360 packs of raw tobacco
• 4,000 packs of hookah tobacco
• 121 packs of nicotine pouches
• 4,600 packs of excise beverages
All illegal items were confiscated, and the companies involved have been fined and subjected to legal action, the FTA confirmed.
The FTA reiterated that producers, importers, and stockists of excise goods must comply with Federal Law No. 7 of 2017 regarding excise tax and its amendments. It also emphasized the use of advanced electronic monitoring systems—including digital tax stamps on tobacco products—to combat tax evasion and align with international best practices.
