News

(Luxembourg, 16 January 2025) – An organised crime group suspected of misappropriating nearly €6 million in EU structural funds for innovative manufacturing solutions, such as recycled plastics and green concrete, has been the target of large-scale investigative measures led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius (Lithuania), since early December 2024.

Last week, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest (Romania) filed an indictment at the Bucharest Tribunal against one Romanian citizen and one company, for fraud involving a project for the development of the Danube Delta, co-funded by the EU. 

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Palermo (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) carried out searches in the provinces of Palermo, Trapani, and Naples today. As part of the action, 14 suspects were arrested, two were placed under house arrest, and assets worth approximately €1 million were seized.

Yesterday, at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rotterdam (Netherlands), four suspects were arrested in Rotterdam and Zevenhuizen, on suspicion of large-scale customs fraud involving bicycles imported from China. The four are suspected of systematically undervaluing the goods and falsely declaring their origin, causing an estimated damage of approximately €7.2 million. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Ljubljana (Slovenia) is leading an investigation into an attempted fraud involving €340 000 in EU funds, with house searches carried out on 7 and 8 January 2025 by the Police Directorate Celje.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia (Bulgaria) has brought charges of fraud against four suspects, following an investigation into a project to design and build signalling and telecommunication systems on the Bulgarian rail network.  The project, which concerns the railway section between Plovdiv and Burgas, is worth over €94.5 million (BGN 184 999 094, 97) in EU financing.

In a probe led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Madrid (Spain), law enforcement authorities have dismantled a transnational criminal network involved in the sale of luxury cars while evading VAT. The estimated damage in Spain alone amounts to €17 million. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy) has charged nine individuals and five companies with aggravated fraud to obtain €4 million for the aquaculture sector, funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest (Romania) has referred a criminal case to the Bucharest Tribunal Court, where five individuals, including the former mayor of Beceni (Buzău County), and one company were indicted for fraud and corruption.