2005 media releases

Inland Revenue not letting up on BoP tax evasion
21 January 2005

Inland Revenue today recorded its sixth successful prosecution for tax evasion in the Bay of Plenty in the past year.

Tauranga District Court today sentenced Manjit Singh to two years imprisonment, for tax evasion of $176,046.93. This brings to six, the number of custodial sentences handed down to tax evaders in the Bay of Plenty 's fruit picking sector in the past year.

Over a two-year period Singh, an established contractor, had been employing his own staff while falsely claiming subcontractors' costs to reduce his tax liabilities.

"Our investigators have been targeting tax evasion for some time now, and the results are here to be seen - these people go to prison. We have more prosecutions in the pipeline, and 2005 will not see us letting up on tax evaders. The Courts recognise that this crime disadvantages the whole community, especially honest businesses trying to compete," said Service Centre Manager Kevin Moody.

"Someone would have to be extremely foolish to try to evade taxes in the Bay of Plenty 's fruitgrowing industry and think they are going to get away with it," Mr Moody continued. "We're very grateful to the local industry for the support it has given. Without the backing of the Bay of Plenty community I'm sure we would not have been able to achieve the good results we have."

Inland Revenue continues to work closely with the fruit growing industry throughout the country, not only in targeting tax evasion, but also providing information and advice to make it easier for people to understand and meet their tax obligations.

Penalties for unpaid tax are greatly reduced if people contact the department first. People can contact Inland Revenue by phoning 0800 377 771 (business customers) or 0800 227 771 (personal customers), or by visiting their local office.

Other media releases this year

• Tip-off leads to jail sentence for dishonest tax agent
• Family assistance payments to be available early
• Inland Revenue releases new tax rules for people who host boarders
• GST fraud gets jail sentence for Auckland property developer
• Inland Revenue seeks owners of forgotten money
• Family Assistance Payments to be made early
• High Wealth programme brings in millions of extra tax dollars
• Identity theft, fraud lead to jail for Palmerston North man
• Reimbursement for the use of a private motor vehicle
• Hamilton man sentenced on tax fraud
• Auckland consultant gets 12 months in jail for GST fraud
• Inland Revenue signs Hewlett Packard to supply Notebook Computers
• Tauranga man jailed for horticultural tax evasion
• New Zealand and Australian tax help for business
• Salary and wage earners: are you entitled to a tax refund?
• Some seasonal workers entitled to tax refunds
• Auckland barrister jailed for tax evasion
• Inland Revenue reminding Marlborough agriculturalists
• Inland Revenue Appoints Chief Information Officer (IT)
• Incident at Upper Hutt Processing Centre
• Forged GST claim leads to eight-month prison sentence
• Inland Revenue offers help to flood affected BOP businesses
• Auckland Man jailed for tax fraud
• Inland Revenue releases view on HHG capital reduction proposals
• Prison sentence for tax evasion
• Early Family Assistance Payments
• Nine years of tax evasion brings 18 month sentence for New Plymouth bricklayer
• Tax season now underway
• Are you eligible for a childcare rebate?
• Early Family Assistance Payments
• Inland Revenue signs agreement with TelstraClear
• Inland Revenue cautions against income splitting by professionals
• Inland Revenue welcomes sentence for Hamilton PAYE offence
• Cambridge students scoop national award for tax knowledge
• US, NZ agree on tax treatment of fiscally transparent entities
• 7 February payment deadline
• Theft of Westpac courier bag - advice to taxpayers and other Inland Revenue customers
• Inland Revenue outlines rebate claim process for tsunami donations
• Inland Revenue welcomes sentence in $40,000 evasion case

more media releases ›

Corporate Affairs
Inland Revenue

To make a media query:
Phone 04 890 1698 or email mediaqueries@ird.govt.nz
Please note, the email address is only for enquiries from the news media. It is monitored during normal business hours 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

P O Box 2198
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Date published: 13 Jan 2005

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