VIJAYAWADA: Goods and Sales Tax (GST) officials conducted surprise raids at the Vijayawada Railway parcel counter at Gandhi Nagar on Wednesday and seized stocks of garments and electrical equipment worth `36 lakh. The officials found that the goods seized from the parcel counter were being transported without proper purchase bills and waybills.
Additional Commissioner (GST) U Yedukondalu, Vijayawada Zone Joint Commissioners V Raghunath and Y Kiran Kumar formed separate teams and scanned all records of parcels that had reached the city on trains. Garments, household articles, electrical appliances, hardware goods and other articles worth `36 lakh were found to be without proper tax documents. While talking to the traders on the occasion, Yedukondalu asked them to purchase all goods under GST Act and told them that any stock found without proper bills would be seized and fines would be slapped under the Act.
The Additional Commissioner said that raids would be conducted at all commercial establishments across the city. “There is a huge need to create awareness on the GST Act. Not many traders are aware of the Act and are avoiding tax, which is due to the nation. Stringent action will be initiated against the tax evaders,” Yedukondalu warned.
Earlier in September 2017, GST officials had conducted decoy operations and imposed fines on traders, who failed to produce proper bills. More than 100 shops on Bandar Road, Eluru Road and Besant Road were inspected.