Mexico City, Sep 25 (EFE) At least 1.7 million Mexicans, among them several soccer stars, have not paid their taxes since June 2008, according to data gathered by the Tax Administration System, or SAT.
The tax evaders were located by examining their cash bank deposits, which in Mexico are taxed if they exceed 25,000 pesos ($1,851), said SAT chief auditor Alberto Real Thursday.
SAT revealed that, of the total, some 640,000 people are not in the National Taxpayers Registry and that so far tax audits have been ordered for about 30,000 people, including soccer players.
“The soccer players, in general, are complying, but we’re conducting oversight activities on some who are not up to date. One who came up, he’s a very important one… I can’t say what team (he’s on), but it will be good news for us,” he said.
The tax on cash deposits entered into force in mid-2008 as a way to fight informal labour and to try and broaden Mexico’s taxpayer base.
Tax collection in this country brings in an amount approximately equal to 11 percent of the gross domestic product, although 30 percent of government revenues come from state oil company Pemex.
