They bought and they sold mobile phones and other devices, they did not pay VAT and then request their return. This was the operation of the criminal organization dismantled by the Civil Guard, the National Police and the Tax Agency, and that allegedly had defrauded 25 million euros in the European Union.
In the operation Marengo-Rosso, directed in Spain by the delegation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the agents of various police forces They have arrested 17 people. There have been 39 searches in eight European countries -20 of them in Spain, after which those responsible for the operation have blocked 95 bank accounts and have intervened 24 properties and several luxury cars.
They evaded the payment of VAT
The alleged fraud was based on the sale of mobile devices, hard drives, wireless headphones, tablets and computers. Through a “complex chain of fictitious companies” throughout the European Union, according to the Civil Guard in a statement, the members of the organization used “supposedly false invoices, to avoid paying VAT.
Then, they asked the tax authorities “reimbursements of the same tax without having the right to do so.” This system generated “benefits of enormous proportions to the investigated organization”, in addition to those obtained by the sale on the internet of the devices.
The system was topped off with the laundering of income through the reinvestment in real estate high value and luxury vehicles.
Nine arrested in Spain
In Spain, the object of research has focused on the alleged crimes of criminal organization, against the Public Treasury and money laundering.
The agents have carried out 20 records in the provinces of Madrid, Barcelona, Castellon, Valencia, Valladolid, Alicante, Murcia, Malaga and Pontevedra. As a consequence, nine people have been arrested and another four have been investigated.
In their records, the agents found several luxury cars, including models from brands such as Aston Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar and McLaren.