Over 200 accounts frozen over tax evasion, MVR 90 mn recovered
According to the report, 6,234 persons paid their taxes on their own initiative last year.
Top Stories
By
Ahmed Naif
Over 200 people's bank accounts have been frozen and MVR 90 million has been recovered in the last financial year, for non-payment of taxes, according to data from tax agency Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
According to the MIRA’s annual report released on Thursday:
-
The bank accounts of 285 people who did not pay taxes were frozen last year
-
MVR 90.3 million recovered from the frozen accounts
The report also noted that 17,054 tax evaders were arrested last year. MIRA’s measures led to the recovery of MVR 3.9 billion in tax arrears last year, the report said.
The most common measure was to recover money by sending notices to those who had not paid their taxes, the report said. Thus:
-
Warning notices were sent to 10,013 persons
-
The state has recovered MVR 2.2 billion via these notices
According to the report, 6,234 persons paid their taxes on their own initiative last year. These payments amounted to MVR 1.4 billion.
245 million by making the name public
According to MIRA, 473 persons paid their outstanding taxes under the agency's 'Name and Shame' policy. MVR 259.5 million was paid by these parties.
In addition, 32 persons paid their outstanding taxes through calls and email transactions. Thus:
-
MVR 3.4 million was recovered
-
Twenty tax evaders taken to court or via legal action paid last year
-
MVR 335,429 has been recovered by the state
Opportunity to pay taxes in instalments
Last year, MIRA gave a new opportunity to 795 tax defaulters to pay their taxes in instalments. The amount of outstanding dues stood at MVR 1.9 billion. According to the report MVR 3.92 million was recovered in the previous year.
Of those who have been given the opportunity to pay in instalments, 3,123 paid MIRA last year, the report said. It also said the MIRA received MVR 1.2 billion last year.
