FTA inspections up by 21%

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) conducted approximately 103,680 field inspection visits across local markets during the first six months of 2026, up 21 percent from around 86,000 a year earlier.

The inspections were conducted as part of the authority’s regulatory efforts, in cooperation with the relevant entities, to enhance tax compliance, protect consumer rights, and combat tax evasion.

The authority said that, during the visits conducted across all emirates, its teams seized and confiscated 8.45 million non-compliant excise products during H1, compared to 17.6 million in the corresponding period in 2025.

The seizures included 6.58 million non-compliant packages of tobacco and tobacco products, compared to 15.8 million during the first half of last year. In addition, 1.87 million non-compliant packages of other excise goods, including carbonated drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened beverages, were seized, compared to 1.7 million packages seized during the first six months of 2025.

The authority also issued 3,343 registration notices to persons who were not registered for Value Added Tax, compared to 2,845 notices issued during the same period last year.

Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla, Director-General of the FTA, said, “The authority is also fully committed to protecting consumers, combating commercial fraud, and preventing the trade of low-quality and counterfeit products that negatively affect quality of life.”

He added, “The close and ongoing cooperation between the authority and its strategic partners from the relevant federal and local entities is a key factor in enhancing the efficiency, speed, and effectiveness of regulatory operations across all areas of the UAE. This is achieved through the exchange of information and the utilisation of the advanced capabilities available to the relevant entities, including qualified personnel, logistical support services, and monitoring and tracking systems that comply with international best practices.”

Sarah AlHabshi, Executive Director of the Tax Compliance Sector at the FTA, said that the indicators confirm that the authority’s inspection campaigns have delivered strong regulatory outcomes. The total value of tax dues and fines associated with the non-compliant goods seized during inspection visits in the first six months of this year exceeded AED174 million.

She added that the inspections aim to ensure compliance with tax laws, particularly regarding the issuance of tax invoices for sales, the display of tax-inclusive prices, and the payment of tax due on products traded in the markets. The inspections also aim to identify cases of tax evasion and other violations of the applicable tax legislation.