The Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (East) has detected an alleged VAT evasion of Tk 35.66 crore by J.I. Impex Ltd, a business establishment in Bhairab, Kishoreganj.

A preventive team of the commissionerate, led by a joint commissioner and comprising officials from its headquarters and Narsingdi VAT Division/office, conducted the raid at the establishment on September 8 based on secret information, according to a press release.

During the drive, the team seized various commercial documents and records under VAT Form 12.3, including 12 clip files, 98 bundles of commercial documents, 22 plastic folders and a computer CPU.

The team also seized four tally books, four registers, a bundle of truck rental documents, two memo files, 10 bundles containing truck drivers’ expenditure details and computer-printed sales documents signed by officials of the company.

According to the commissionerate, officials subsequently examined the seized documents and found 72 folders/files containing information on monthly supplies and sales made by the company to different establishments between 2023 and September 2026.

After scrutiny and verification of the documents, the officials found information relating to sales worth Tk 621,74,37,134, or about Tk 621.74 crore.

The preliminary investigation found VAT evasion amounting to Tk 35,65,83,798, or about Tk 35.66 crore, the commissionerate said.