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.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Berlin (Germany) has filed an indictment against eight suspects in connection with a VAT fraud scheme involving the trade of luxury cars and medical face masks, with an estimated damage of €80 million.

On 14 and 19 June 2023, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) carried out 27 searches in France and the Netherlands, in an investigation into VAT fraud involving car sales, with an estimated damage of €19 million. Four suspects were arrested and dozens of cars seized, as well as more than €1 million in cash.

More than 2000 tax, customs and police investigators in seven countries (Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain) are currently carrying out an action day with over 450 searches, as well as seizures of real estate and luxury cars. Five people were arrested today, 14 June 2023. 

On behalf of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Venice (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) – Provincial Command of Piacenza have arrested the suspected ringleader of a VAT fraud scheme involving several countries, with estimated losses of €28 million.

In an investigation into a complex VAT fraud on imported fuels, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Bologna (Italy), the Parma Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) executed today, 23 March 2023, a freezing order of assets of up to €149 million.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan (Italy) have seized assets and arrested six people, believed to be part of a criminal organisation, in a sting against a massive VAT fraud scheme involving several countries, with estimated losses of €40 million.

Operation Display took place today in 10 EU Member States (Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Slovenia), within the framework of an investigation into cross-border VAT fraud by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Munich.