(Luxembourg, 25 June 2025) – At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan and Palermo (Italy), the Italian State Police (Central Operational Service, SISCO and Police Office of Palermo), together with the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Varese have executed eleven arrest warrants issued by the judge of preliminary investigation of Milan.
The arrested suspects are believed to have participated in the criminal syndicate responsible for a €520 million VAT fraud scheme, code-named ‘Moby Dick’. Their activity was to launder the proceeds of the VAT fraud and they allegedly used mafia methods and aided and abetted the Camorra criminal organisation.
Today’s arrests follow investigative measures carried out by the EPPO in November 2024 in more than 10 countries, where 43 suspects had already been arrested. One of the suspected ringleaders had turned himself in last month when he landed at Milan Malpensa airport from Tirana (Albania).
The evidence gathered throughout the ongoing investigation revealed further information about the suspects, including their links to the Nuvoletta and Di Lauro clans of the Camorra criminal organisation.
The level of complexity and efficiency of the criminal syndicate behind ‘Moby Dick’ is unprecedented. Between 2020 and 2023, it issued invoices for the sales of airpods, laptops and other electronic goods of more than €1.3 billion.
Up until today, 195 individuals are being investigated, with more than 400 companies involved.
A freezing order of over €520 million is in execution to compensate the damage to the EU and the national budgets. In Italy alone, 129 bank accounts were frozen, and 192 real estate properties seized, together with 44 luxury cars and boats.
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Italian courts of law.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.