(Luxembourg, 27 February 2024) – In the context of a large-scale investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Palermo (Italy), several searches, arrests and seizures took place between Saturday and Monday, in a probe into an alleged criminal association suspected of aggravated VAT fraud involving beverages and EU funding fraud.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan (Italy), five individuals were arrested on 23 February, on suspicion of orchestrating a €220 million VAT fraud involving alcohol exports to several Member States.A freezing order was also executed at the EPPO’s request by the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Milan, targeting bank accounts, real estate and luxury cars.

Over 80 searches were conducted yesterday and three suspects were arrested, in a probe into an alleged criminal organisation suspected of a multimillion VAT fraud involving car sales, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cologne and Munich (Germany). 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Turin (Italy), searches were conducted yesterday in several locations and four suspects were arrested, in an investigation into a €10 million VAT carousel fraud involving tyres. 

In the context of a large-scale investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens (Greece), several house searches, arrests and seizures have taken place, in a probe into an alleged criminal organisation suspected of a €36.4 million VAT fraud and a €9.6 million EU subsidy fraud.

On Monday (4 December), the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Luxembourg City and Frankfurt am Main led searches in Luxembourg and Germany, in an action targeting a criminal group suspected of a VAT fraud. In addition, 17 bank accounts, cash, gold and cryptocurrencies have been seized.

On 22 November 2023, 59 searches and other investigative measures were carried out in eight countries, in an action targeting criminal groups under investigation for an €85 million VAT fraud, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Hamburg (Germany). One of the alleged ringleaders of the criminal groups under investigation was arrested.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Madrid (Spain), 13 searches were conducted and 24 people were arrested this week, in a probe into a €25 million VAT fraud orchestrated by an organised crime group with a reach extending to Latin America.

Two people have been arrested this week at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens (Greece) and Cologne (Germany) and 42 searches were carried out in those countries as part of an investigation into a suspected cross border organised crime group. The group is understood to have orchestrated a €30.7 million VAT fraud involving small electronic devices.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) today conducted searches in the Netherlands and seized assets, in an investigation into a suspected VAT carousel fraud involving consumer electronics.