GRA storms hotels over tax stamps non-compliance

The Ghana Revenue Authority has seized some assorted beverages on sale at the bar and stores of Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City and Movenpick Ambassador Hotel over non-compliance with the tax stamp law.

The Excise Unit and GRA task force which conducted the seizure explained that the move is part of efforts to ensure full compliance of the tax stamp law.

Items seized includes Chase Vodka, Martin Blanco, Havana Club, Chivas Rigal, William Chase Elegant, Russian Standard Vodka, Hemey Cognac among others.

According to Kwabena Apau Anto, Chief Revenue Officer, the excise tax stamps are specially designed digital stamps with security features which are affixed on specified excisable goods, whether locally manufactured or imported.

He said, goods affected by the law include cigarettes and other tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, whether canned or contained in kegs, non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, whether bottled, canned or packaged in any other form, and bottled water.

The Chief Revenue Officer said, enforcement of the act started at the ports on January 1, 2018, and the points of sale on March 1, 2018, with a special task force commencing the first phase of an enforcement exercise in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi.

BACKGROUND

Members of the GRA task force set up to enforce the Tax stamp as part of a special exercise visited the two luxury hotels unannounced and found liquor without the excise tax stamp on them displayed on shelves in the bar.

All the bottles without tax stamps were removed after which the team stormed the stores departments of the hotel and found cartons of the liquor which were also seized.

According to Kwabena Apau Anto has indicated that all the detained goods would be taken to the GRA office where the taxes on them would be calculated, after which penalties would be levied on them.

He said,’ under the law, defaulters will face an imposition of a 300 per cent penalty of the duties and taxes involved”.