At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) have executed a freezing order against a company suspected of a major customs fraud involving the importation of electric bicycles (e-bikes) from China, with an estimated damage of over €9.8  million. 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Naples (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Naples have executed a freezing order amounting to €1.3 million against four companies and their respective legal representatives, suspected of fraud, embezzlement and money laundering.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zagreb (Croatia) has filed an indictment against three Croatian citizens, accused of receiving and giving bribes to obtain EU funds for the extension and reconstruction of the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) Project  in Varaždin (Croatia), with a value of over €20 million.

In an investigation into customs fraud and corruption led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Valletta (Malta), 11 suspects were charged today, including nine individuals (six customs officers and three customs operators) and two companies. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Iași (Romania) has brought charges against three individuals and five companies for aggravated subsidy fraud and money laundering, following an investigation into an IT project, with an estimated damage of €1 million. Two of the suspects referred to the court of Iași remain in pre-trial detention. 

Following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zagreb (Croatia), the County Court in Zagreb has found one suspect guilty of subsidy fraud and document forgery, in relation to three projects, including a greenhouse construction, co-financed by the EU.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zagreb (Croatia) has decided to expand an investigation against four suspects and a company for subsidy fraud and money laundering, due to suspicions of an additional subsidy fraud committed by one of the suspects and another company.

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Lisbon (Portugal), code-named ‘Ambrosia’, 11 suspects were arrested today, believed to be operating a criminal network responsible for VAT fraud involving essential food products (including olive oil, cooking oil and sugar), with an estimated damage of €30 million. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cologne (Germany) has filed an indictment against three defendants with the Regional Court in Düsseldorf. This is the second indictment in a large-scale VAT fraud investigation, code-named ’Huracán’, concerning the international trade of more than 10 000 cars.

The seizure, processing and analysis of electronic data are of paramount importance for any criminal investigation and prosecution.

The European Chief Prosecutor has duly noted that on 14 June 2024, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Austria proposed an amendment to the code of criminal procedure regulating the seizure of data and data storage devices, following a ruling by the Austrian Constitutional Court on 14 December 2023.