- A transnational criminal network involved in a €17 million VAT fraud in the high-end car market has been dismantled in Spain.
- The operation was carried out by the Tax Agency, National Police, and Civil Guard, under the direction of the European Prosecutor’s Office.
- 49 people have been arrested for allegedly setting up a criminal structure in Spain to trade high-end vehicles between companies in Germany and Portugal, using complex systems to evade VAT payment.
- 14 raids were conducted in various provinces, resulting in the seizure of four high-end cars, related documentation, and the blocking of 84 vehicles, 55 bank accounts with a balance of over €500,000, and the seizure of over €240,000.
- The investigation began in early 2021 and uncovered three alleged VAT fraud offenses between 2019 and 2021.
- The suspects used fraudulent methods such as using a Portuguese company to create opacity in the commercial chain and establishing fictitious companies to commit intra-community VAT fraud.
- The vehicles were sold to complicit dealerships nationwide and also provided to other criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking.
- The investigation traced the movement of over €660 million in bank accounts associated with more than 200 companies involved in the network.
Source: sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
