Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced a state-wide enforcement operation by the Taxation Department to combat tobacco tax evasion, uncovering unaccounted goods valued at Rs 1.5 crore. The operation, triggered by a rise in tax rates on tobacco products, targeted locations in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Jalandhar, leading to significant detections in Ludhiana and Amritsar.
Teams from State Investigation and Preventive Units conducted inspections at various sites, revealing hidden stocks of Indian cigarettes, biris, zarda, imported cigarettes, hookah material, lighters, and Coolip. The seized goods, including over 1.32 lakh packs of Indian cigarettes, will incur a tax liability exceeding Rs 50 lakh, with Rs 12 lakh already recovered and further proceedings underway to collect the remaining amount. Minister Cheema emphasized the government’s firm stance against tax evasion, vowing to sustain rigorous enforcement actions to ensure tax compliance and protect state revenue.
