The National Revenue Authority (NRA) issued a stern notice to all importers and manufacturers of excisable products in Sierra Leone, emphasizing the impending deadline for compliance with tax stamp regulations.

In an official statement released last Thursday, the NRA highlighted Wednesday 15th May, 2024 as the final day for the sale of beverage and tobacco products without Tax Stamps.

“It is imperative to emphasize that any importer, agent, manufacturer or retailer found in possession of unstamped goods beyond the 15th May, 2024 deadline will be deemed to have committed an offence,” the NRA public notice states.

Enforcement measures for non-compliance include a range of punitive actions such as seizure and forfeiture of goods, sealing of business premises, imposition of penalties and fines, as well as legal proceedings leading to imprisonment.

A dedicated monitoring team, comprising personnel from the NRA and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), has been deployed to actively monitor the situation on the ground.

The team’s primary objective is to identify and confiscate unstamped goods, considered smuggled from the market.

The NRA reiterated its commitment to administering taxes effectively and facilitating trade to enhance the Government’s fiscal capacity for national development.