Aug. 12, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
The EuroMarket in Astoria was seized yesterday by the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, and the store will be shut down until the owners begin to pay the $218,014.80 in back taxes they owe.
The Market, located at 30-42 31st Street, has three open warrants against it for unpaid sales taxes, according to a representative from the Department of Taxation and Finance.
“Seizing a business is always a last resort. We are constantly communicating with business owners long before this happens, and always trying to work with them and resolve outstanding debt,” said the representative.
He added that now that the business is shut down, the department would continue to work with the owners to figure out a way for them to pay what they owe and reopen.
Unpaid sales taxes can escalate to being a criminal offence, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Calls to the EuroMarket went unanswered.
