In 2023 and in the first five months of 2024, the Financial Police carried out 7,541 inspections and 643 investigations to combat economic-financial crimes and the infiltration of crime into the economy: «A
“all-round commitment” – explains a note from Guardia di Finanza which today, Wednesday 26 June, at 6pm, in Bergamo, celebrates the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the Corps – to protect families and businesses, destined to be further intensified to ensure the correct allocation of the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan”.
Fight against tax evasion
The inspection activities made it possible to identify a total of 100 tax evaders, i.e. those carrying out business or self-employment activities completely unknown to the tax authorities (many of whom operate through electronic commerce platforms) and 1,611 “illegal” or irregular workers.
Also discovered were 12 cases of international tax evasion, mainly attributable to hidden stable organisations, transfer price manipulation and the illicit holding of capital across borders.
There were 438 individuals reported for tax crimes, of which 46 were arrested. As a result of investigations delegated by the judicial authority, assets constituting profits from tax evasion and fraud were also seized,
for a value of 18,511,447 euros.
Protection of public spending
The activity of the Financial Police in the sector of the protection of public spending is aimed at supervise 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, 201 interventions were carried out aimed at verifying the entitlement of citizens and businesses to tax credits, contributions and financing, as well as the correct execution of the works and services subject to public tenders, for 26,013,417 euros.
Fight against organized and economic-financial crime
In the field of recycling and self-laundering 16 interventions were carried out, which led to the reporting of 27 people, of which 1 was arrested, and to the reconstruction of illicit operations for 113,403,339 euros. Around 900 suspicious financial flows generated by operators of the anti-money laundering prevention system were investigated.
In the period under review, the dependent departments have seized approximately 140 kilograms of narcotic substances, mainly consisting of cocaine (42 kilos), hashish (86 kilos) and marijuana (9.4 kilos), reporting 24 individuals to the judicial authorities (7 of whom were under arrest) and reporting 59 to the Prefects. The fight against illicit trafficking, in general, is also ensured
within the «117» Service, the subject of recent interventions in the operational, training and technical-logistic fields, aimed at increasing the operational readiness and effectiveness of intervention of patrols in the area, in response to citizen reports.
