The Federal Tax Authority uncovered AED 357 million in tax liabilities during 85,500 inspections, seizing millions of untaxed products.
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has intensified its market oversight, conducting 85,500 inspection visits in the first half of 2025 — more than double the number carried out in the same period last year. These efforts uncovered AED 357.22 million in unpaid taxes and fines, representing an 86.29 per cent year-on-year increase.
During the inspections, FTA teams seized over 17.6 million non-compliant excise goods, up 144.44 per cent from 2024. This included 11.52 million packs of tobacco products without the required Digital Tax Stamps, more than double last year’s figures. The Authority also confiscated 6.1 million packs of taxable beverages, including soft drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened beverages — over 250 per cent more than the 1.74 million seized in the same period last year.
Sara AlHabshi, Tax Compliance Executive Director at the FTA, said the Authority is committed to combating tax evasion and protecting consumers from illegal, substandard products. “We utilise the latest digital technologies to enhance compliance, improve regulatory efficiency, and prevent the sale or storage of untaxed goods,” she noted.
The FTA stressed that it will continue running inspection campaigns in cooperation with strategic partners across the UAE to ensure adherence to tax laws and uphold governance and transparency in the market.
