Fwas in Foggia for the 250th anniversary of the Guardia di Finanza. Useful opportunity for an operating budget relating to the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 May 2024.
In 2023 and in the first five months of 2024, the Financial Police carried out over 5,000 inspections and 1,914 investigations to combat economic-financial crimes and the infiltration of crime into the economy: an “all-round” commitment to protect families and businesses, destined to further intensify to ensure the correct allocation of the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
FIGHTING FRAUD AND TAX EVASION
The inspection activities made it possible to identify a total of 65 tax evaders, i.e. those carrying out business or self-employed activities completely unknown to the tax authorities (many of whom operate through electronic commerce platforms) and 315 illegal or irregular workers.
A case of international tax evasion was also discovered, attributable to the fictitious foreign headquarters of foreign companies actually operating in the province of Foggia which embezzled 240 million euros from the tax authorities.
There were 135 people reported for tax crimes, of which 3 were arrested. As a result of investigations delegated by the judicial authority, non-existent or high tax risk tax credits for construction and energy were also cautioned and reported to the Revenue Agency, as well as assets constituting the profit of tax evasion and fraud were seized. tax, for a value of over 113 million euros.
31 proposals were made for the termination of the VAT number and the cancellation from the Vies database – a system for the exchange of information on VAT – towards economic entities characterized by profiles of fiscal risk.
107 interventions in the field of excise duties made it possible to report 42 persons responsible for the crime of smuggling, to seize over 65,600 kg of energy products, to ascertain the contraband consumption of approximately 5 million liters of similar product, and tax evasion for 4 million euros, as well as identifying 30 illegal fuel distributors who have put diesel fuel on sale intended for subsidized uses and, therefore, supplied at a lower price.
51 inspection activities regarding illegal gaming made it possible to discover 18 clandestine betting collection points and to report 5 managers who failed to declare bets worth over 14 million euros.
There are, however, 6 customs controls on goods introduced into the national territory in tax evasion, counterfeit or in violation of safety regulations.
PROTECTION OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE
The activity of the Financial Police in the sector of the protection of public spending is aimed at supervising the correct use of European Union and national resources, for the implementation of interventions to support businesses and families.
The directives given aim, as a priority, to monitor projects and investments financed with resources from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. In this context, 148 interventions were carried out aimed at verifying the entitlement of tax credits, contributions and financing, as well as the correct execution of the works and services subject to public tenders, for a controlled value of over 79 million euros, ascertaining illicit activities for over 2.5 million euros.
On the national public spending front, 1,300 checks were carried out, of which 673 related to citizenship income and new inclusion and support measures for training and work. The action to combat fraud in social security and welfare spending has led to the ascertainment of undue receipts amounting to 24 million euros by 144 managers, reported to the competent judicial authority, against whom seizure proposals for 4.3 million have been made. EUR.
As part of the collaboration with the Court of Auditors, 52 investigations were carried out regarding treasury damages, resulting in 18 perpetrators being reported, identifying hypotheses of treasury damages for over 1.6 million euros.
Collaboration in the area with the European Prosecutor’s Office is growing, with which 5 investigations were developed which led to the execution of 13 personal precautionary measures and the execution of seizures for 58 million euros.
In terms of procurement, assignment procedures and methods of execution of works and services for 127 million euros were monitored.
The action of the Corps in combating corruption phenomena and other crimes against the Public Administration, carried out by leveraging the particular investigative powers that characterize the economic-financial police and developing structured investigations of a technical, financial and patrimonial nature, aimed at reconstructing the criminal regimes and the role of the subjects involved, led to the arrest of 4 people and the reporting of 81 others.
FIGHTING ORGANIZED AND ECONOMIC-FINANCIAL CRIME
In the fight against organized and economic-financial crime, the Corps’ action aims to block criminal infiltration into the legal economy and, at the same time, to protect the free market and respect for the rules of healthy competition.
In the field of money laundering and self-laundering, 39 interventions were carried out, which led to the reporting of 198 people, of which 8 were arrested, and to the reconstruction of illicit operations worth over 117 million euros.
In this context, 451 suspicious financial transactions were investigated based on the reports received from operators in the sector
In terms of bankruptcy crimes and the business crisis code, assets amounting to over 11 million euros were found to have been stolen, while with reference to usury and extortion, 12 people were reported, of which 4 were arrested and had their assets seized. assets for 743 thousand euros.
87 people were subjected to asset checks in application of the anti-mafia legislation, which led to the application of confiscation measures for assets worth over 3.7 million euros.
Furthermore, 2,178 investigations were carried out relating to functional checks for the release of anti-mafia documentation following requests received from the Prefects of the Republic.
As regards the fight against trafficking and dealing of narcotic substances, the departments of the province of Foggia seized 214 kg. of drugs, mainly consisting of cocaine (over 14 kilograms), heroin (over 43 kilograms), hashish (over 47 kilograms) and marijuana (over 7 kilograms), reporting 136 people to the AG, of which 49 were arrested. Some illegal Indian hemp plantations were also seized, with the seizure of over 6,000 plants. 433 drug users were reported to the Prefects for the adoption of relevant administrative measures.
On the protection of the goods and services market, 117 interventions were carried out, with 67 people reporting them. Following these activities, over 320 thousand counterfeit products were seized, with false indication of being made in Italy, dangerous or in violation of copyright legislation.
Also seized were 116 tons of agri-food products (mainly olive oil), bearing falsified industrial brands, false indications and the subject of commercial fraud.
The fight against illicit trafficking is ensured not only with investigative activities, but also with the patrols assigned to the economic control of the territory which operate within the “117” Service, the subject of recent interventions in the operational, training and technical-logistic fields, aimed to increase the operational readiness and effectiveness of intervention of patrols in the area and of naval vessels, in response to citizens’ reports. 7,652 patrols were employed in these services.
COMPETITION IN PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY SERVICES
Within the framework of the mission of contributing to the internal and external security of the country, the Guardia di Finanza ensures the competitive commitment in the protection of public order and security guaranteed in the context of the management of public demonstrations and events of particular importance, to which the Corps participates as a priority with the use of specialized Anti-Terrorism Ready-to-Employ soldiers “AT-PI”.
In 2023, the departments of the Provincial Command of Foggia spent a total of 24,934 man-days in public order services during demonstrations, sporting events, international meetings and other events. This commitment, which is continuing in 2024, has led, up to May, to a total use of 13,660 man-days in public order services. 4,487 patrols were employed in these services.
