Italy Exposed in €700 Million Chinese-Led EU Customs Fraud Uncovered by EPPO Operation Calypso

• Italy is affected by a Chinese criminal network dismantled by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
• The network evaded 700 million euros in duties and taxes.
• Operation Calypso was led by EPPO with Europol, OLAF, and national prosecutors.
• The network involved large-scale customs and VAT fraud, with Italy as a core destination.
• 101 raids were conducted across multiple countries.
• Goods entered the EU at falsely low values to avoid duties, mainly through the Greek port of Piraeus.
• Goods were routed through shell companies and sold on the black market.
• Authorities seized 5.8 million euros in various currencies, crypto assets, e-bikes, e-scooters, containers, properties, vehicles, luxury goods, and weapons.
• Italy was a primary target, highlighting the role of Chinese criminal networks in logistics and organized crime.
• The operation reveals vulnerabilities in EU customs and questions China’s role in illicit economic practices.
• The case coincides with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Europe for trade talks.

Source: decode39.com

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.

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