- A transnational criminal network has been dismantled in Spain for a VAT fraud of 17 million euros in the high-end car market.
- The operation was carried out by the Tax Agency, National Police, and Civil Guard.
- 49 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a criminal structure that facilitated the sale and purchase of high-end vehicles between companies in Germany and Portugal.
- The network used complex systems to evade payment of VAT.
- The operation was directed by the European Prosecutor’s Office and involved 14 searches in various provinces in Spain.
- Four high-end cars, documentation related to the investigation, and 84 vehicles were seized during the operation.
- 55 bank accounts with a balance of over 500,000 euros were blocked, and more than 240,000 euros were seized.
- The investigation began in 2021 and uncovered three crimes related to VAT fraud between 2019 and 2021.
- The network used fraudulent methods such as creating fictitious companies and exploiting EU rules on cross-border transactions.
- The seized vehicles were intended for sale to conniving dealerships and for use by other criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking.
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.
