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The exact amount of mobile phone sets sold every month is not reflected in the monthly returns. Two and a quarter crore Taka in a month. Again, sales up to seven crore Taka in a month have been shown as low. Sales of at least a quarter of 28 crore Taka have been concealed in Mushak returns in one, two, nine or eight months. Technology brand Oppo has been hiding this sale mainly to avoid fraud.
But the end was not saved. Sales concealment and VAT evasion uncovered in Mushak detectives’ raids. Bangladesh Communication Equipment Company Limited, Oppo ‘s organization, has admitted to concealing sales information and evasion. This information is known from NBR sources. Earlier, customs detectives found proof of importing mobile sets against the company by evading customs duty.
According to sources, Oppo is one of the most famous technology brands in the world. One of the Chinese brands that have done well in the Bangladeshi smartphone market in a short period of time is Oppo. It started its journey to Bangladesh in 2014. Oppo ‘s organization is Bangladesh Communication Equipment Company Limited. The Directorate of Audit, Intelligence and Investigation (VAT Intelligence) received secret information that the company was evading VAT by not showing the correct account of mobile phone sales in the VAT returns.
To verify the matter, a preventive team of VAT detectives raided the company’s office at Police Plaza Concorde Tower on March 12 this year. In the operation, the intelligence officers seized the commercial documents related to mobile set production, sale and Mushak of this organization of Oppo. In this initial examination, signs of VAT evasion are found. Later, the officials printed and seized the monthly mobile set sales information from the organization’s computer database.
The intelligence officers cross-checked and reviewed the seized documents with the monthly Mushak returns of the institution and found massive discrepancies. In particular, eight months of sales data from July 2022 to February this year have been reviewed.
On review, according to the seized documents, in July 2022, the company sold mobile phones worth Tk 63 crore 85 lakh 78 thousand 150 (including VAT). But the monthly return submitted to the VAT office (filing) shows 61 crore 81 lakh 60 thousand 347 taka (including VAT). In July alone, the sale concealed 2 crore 4 lakh 17 thousand 803 taka; Out of which Musak taxable sales is one crore 94 lakh 45 thousand 527 taka. The applicable VAT with interest is Tk 10 lakh 50 thousand 58.
Similarly, the actual sales of the organization in August was 79 crore 11 lakh 55 thousand 190 taka. But 72 crore 8 lakh 41 thousand 380 taka is shown in Musak return. Sales understated at Tk 7 crore 3 lakh 13 thousand 810, in which Mushak chargeable sales are Tk 6 crore 69 lakh 65 thousand 533. VAT including interest is 35 lakh 82 thousand 656 taka.
It has also been seen that the actual sales of this organization in September is 105 crore 26 lakh 44 thousand 700 taka. But the return shows less sales of 1 crore 76 lakh 8 thousand 586 taka. So that the taxable sale is one crore 67 lakh 70 thousand 82 taka. On which applicable VAT including interest is 8 lakh 88 thousand 814 taka. The actual sales of the organization in the month of October is 101 crore 81 lakh 11 thousand 690 taka. But the return shows less sales of Tk 2 crore 28 lakh 10 thousand 924.
So that the taxable value is 2 crore 17 lakh 24 thousand 690 taka. On which applicable Mushak including interest is 11 lakh 40 thousand 546 taka. Actual sales in November is 107 crores 51 lakhs 16 thousand 510 taka. But in the return, the sale is shown to be less than one crore 61 lakh 71 thousand 131 taka; Out of which Musak chargeable sales have been shown to be less than 1 crore 54 lakh 1 thousand 77 taka. On which the applicable tax including interest is 8 lakh 856 taka. Actual sales in December are 79 crore 7 lakh 68 thousand 130 taka.
6 crore 38 lakh 73 thousand 17 taka is shown less in the return; Out of which Mushak taxable sales is 6 crore 8 lakh 31 thousand 445 taka. Musak on this including interest is 31 lakh 32 thousand 819 taka.
According to the review, the actual sales of the organization in January of this year is 113 crore 19 lakh 48 thousand 600 taka. 2 crores 17 lakhs 98 thousand 237 takas have been shown less in the return; Out of which Mushak taxable sales is 2 crore 7 lakh 60 thousand 226 taka. Musak on this including interest is 10 lakh 58 thousand 772 taka. In February, the company’s actual sales were 84 crore 89 lakh 78 thousand 410 taka. But in the VAT return, the sale is shown as less than 4 crore 48 lakh 90 thousand 972 taka.
Out of which Mushak taxable sales is 4 crore 27 lakh 53 thousand 307 taka. On which applicable Musak including interest is Tk 21 lakh 59 thousand 42. In other words, according to the Moosak Act, 2012, from July 2022 to February of this year, this company’s mobile phone sales were 734 crore 73 lakh 1 thousand 380 taka. But the company has shown sales of Tk 706 crore 94 lakh 16 thousand 900 in monthly VAT return.
In eight months, the company has concealed sales of 27 crore 78 lakh 84 thousand 480 taka, of which taxable sales were 26 crore 46 lakh 51 thousand 886 taka; On which applicable Mushak including interest is one crore 38 lakh 13 thousand 564 taka.
According to NBR sources, the VAT detective wrote to the company on March 9 this year to ask for a statement on this alleged evasion after reviewing and verifying the documents of this company. On April 5, the VAT detective was informed through a letter from the company that this fraudulent company will voluntarily and voluntarily submit to the government treasury. That is, the company has admitted the fact of evasion by concealing the actual sales information in the VAT return.
Later, this money, which was evaded in the treasury, was submitted to the government treasury by Oppo organization Bangladesh Communication Equipment Company Limited. The VAT Detective has submitted a report to the VAT Dhaka North Commissionerate to take further action against the company for depositing the evaded VAT in the government treasury.
