The State Tax Service of Ukraine has uncovered a tax evasion scheme in a chain of stores specializing in the sale of beer. The inspections were conducted as part of an updated risk-based approach to control measures and revealed that the stores used payment transaction registrars (PROs), checks from which were not entered into the State Tax Service database. This indicates the possible use of special software to manipulate data on sales volumes and hide real income.
The chain's financial reports also recorded an abnormally low level of cash payments, which raised suspicions about the legality of the operations. In the first four days of inspections, the State Tax Service recorded the official employment of an additional 312 employees and an increase in the volume of cash payments by 11.5 times.
For violation of the legislation on the use of RRO and tax evasion, business entities face fines and possible cancellation of licenses for trade in excisable goods. The State Tax Service emphasizes that such measures are aimed at combating the shadow economy and increasing transparency in the sphere of trade in alcoholic beverages.