Fines for customs duty evasion

JEDDAH — Saudi Customs will inspect companies, clearance offices and importers to check violations such as bill manipulations to evade tax or customs duty.

Violators will be fined an amount ranging between SR500 and SR5,000 and imprisoned for no more than two years. Their licenses may also be revoked, said deputy general manager of revenue affairs at Saudi Customs Mazin Al-Zamil.

Punishments for tax evasion are of three types. If goods are tax free, the fine will be no less than 10% of the value of goods and one month to one-year imprisonment.

For other taxable goods, the fine will be double the tax fees but not more than the value of goods and one month to one-year imprisonment.

For goods that have high tax fees, the fine will be double the tax fees but not more than double the goods’ value and one-month or one-year imprisonment.

Saudi Customs will check the accuracy of the deals’ financial values, ensure that all procedures adhere to Customs regulations, check the revenues and the clearance of goods.

Al-Zamil noted that they will work on unifying all regulations.