News

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) today, 28 March 2023, carried out ten searches in several locations in Belgium, including at Liège Airport, and arrested four suspects, during an operation against a customs fraud ring believed to have caused damages of up to €310 million in evaded tax.

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna, a pre-trial house arrest warrant and a freezing order of over €1 million were issued by the Italian judge for the investigation working at the Tribunal of Macerata, at the request of the EPPO. Both measures affect an Italian company and its legal representative, and were executed yesterday (23 March 2023) by the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) based in Camerino (Marche region, Italy).

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.

At the beginning of March (7 March 2023), the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zlín (Czechia), together with the Czech Police, seized money and real estate properties worth €740 000 from a suspect and his company. On Monday this week (20 March 2023), the police brought charges against both the suspect and the company.

In an extensive operation carried out today, 21 March 2023, against a criminal group based in Naples (Italy), believed to have orchestrated a massive VAT fraud through the sales of electronic equipment, 12 people were arrested by the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza), including four public officials, for corruption offences. 

Two suspects have been arrested in the Netherlands this morning, 16 March 2023, on suspicion of committing fraud in order to obtain EU subsidies amounting to €500 000.  The arrests took place in Eindhoven and Roermond, and were made by the Netherlands Labour Authority (Arbeidsinspectie), at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).

Last Thursday (9 March 2023), following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest, three suspects were caught in the act when receiving around €70 000 (RON 350 000) in cash as part of the profit of their supposed fraud. On that same date, 10 house searches were carried out in five counties of Romania, to gather more evidence about the three suspects and their respective companies.

On 6 March 2023, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) decided to dismiss the proceedings concerning the contract for the supply of 250 000 FFP2-3 masks for a total amount of €1 512 500, awarded by the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS: Servicio Madrileño de Salud de la Comunidad de Madrid).

Today, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Riga (Latvia) referred a criminal case to court, in which two persons were indicted for fraud involving EU agricultural funds.