Twenty individuals have been convicted to more than 70 years of imprisonment for organising and participating in a criminal association and money laundering, following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan and Palermo (Italy). These are the first verdicts in investigation “Moby Dick”, involving a criminal syndicate suspected of a VAT fraud scheme of more than half a billion euros.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia (Bulgaria), more than 80 searches and investigative measures are being carried out since yesterday in the country, in an investigation into cross-border VAT fraud, causing an estimated damage of over €13 million. Six Bulgarian citizens were arrested.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Venice (Italy) and Zagreb (Croatia) jointly carried out arrests and searches in both Croatia and Italy, in an investigation targeting a large-scale VAT fraud scheme related to an organised criminal group trading in electronic goods and hygiene products, causing an estimated damage of over €78 million in unpaid VAT. This is the first multimillion VAT fraud in Croatia uncovered by the EPPO.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna and Naples (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) in Naples carried out preventive seizures today, in an investigation into a €260 million VAT fraud scheme involving a criminal network alleged to have imported fuel to the Italian market while systematically evading VAT.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza, Nucleo di Polizia Economico-Finanziaria di Bolzano) carried out searches and preventive seizures in Rome and Brescia, in an investigation into a €17 million VAT fraud scheme involving electronic products.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Madrid (Spain) seized bank accounts in the Dominican Republic and Peru, and obtained information from Uruguay, in connection with an investigation into a €25 million VAT fraud involving the trade of IT equipment, orchestrated by a criminal organisation whose outreach extends to Latin America. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Munich (Germany) has secured another conviction in the EPPO investigation cluster Midas, a large-scale VAT fraud case spanning 17 countries and involving an estimated damage of €195 million. This is the fourth person to be convicted.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Madrid (Spain), eight presumed members of a criminal network, including three suspected ringleaders, were detained yesterday for their alleged involvement in a €68 million VAT fraud scheme linked to imported alcohol from several EU Member States. 

A coordinated raid by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens (Greece), Madrid (Spain), Paris (France) and Sofia (Bulgaria) has dealt a significant blow to criminal networks flooding the EU market with goods fraudulently imported from China, while evading custom duties and VAT.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Berlin (Germany) has arrested two suspects, and seized evidence and assets today in an investigation against a criminal organisation suspected of defrauding €66 million in unpaid VAT and of evading over €137 million in excise duties.