Doha, Qatar: As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance tax compliance, the General Tax Authority announced the seizure of a number of retail outlets found in violation of the Excise Tax Law, as part of its regulatory campaigns aimed at combating the illicit circulation of tobacco products
The Authority’s inspection team, succeeded in seizing and confiscating more than 5,000 packs of tobacco products that were not bearing approved tax stamps and did not meet the approved specifications.
Legal reports were issued against the owners of the violating outlets, in preparation for taking and completing the necessary legal actions in accordance with the applicable legislation.
These measures come as part of the Authority’s ongoing inspection campaigns, which include the analysis and auditing of supply chains to detect and combat the illicit trade of tobacco products, and the application of compliance standards set out in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, thereby contributing to the reduction of health risks associated with the circulation of smuggled products, which pose greater risks to consumer health.
The Authority’s efforts in this regard are aligned with the Third National Development Strategy (2024–2030), which aims to ensure a high quality of life for individuals by reducing the prevalence of smoking.
They are also consistent with the National Health Strategy, which seeks to protect members of society from the risks of tobacco and its derivatives through the imposition of taxes on the production and importation of these products, thereby enhancing public health in the State of Qatar.
It is worth noting that the tax stamp is a distinctive mark in the form of a physical label or a digital code containing encrypted data, affixed to excise-taxable goods.
The General Tax Authority launched the first and second phases of the tax stamp system in 2022, while the third phase began implementation in early 2023 within local markets.
This phase stipulates that all tobacco products and their derivatives circulated in local markets must bear approved tax stamps.
The General Tax Authority affirmed that it will continue its inspection campaigns to monitor illicit trade in tobacco products, calling on all relevant entities to comply with the provisions of tax laws and related executive regulations to avoid legal accountability.
The Authority also urged importers of cigarettes and other tobacco products to register on the “Dhareeba” platform under the excise goods track-and-trace system, noting that the import or circulation of any excise goods within the country is not permitted without valid and activated excise stamps.
