In 2023 and in the first five months of 2024, the Departments of the Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza
of Catanzaro carried out 3,151 inspections and 233 investigations to combat crimes
economic-financial and the infiltration of crime into the economy: an “all-round” commitment a
protection of families and businesses, destined to further intensify to ensure correct
destination of the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The inspection activities made it possible to identify 31 total tax evaders, i.e. carrying out business activities or
of self-employment completely unknown to the tax authorities and 117 “off the books” or irregular workers who have
led to 42 employers reporting.
Furthermore, 2 cases of international tax evasion were discovered, mainly attributable to hidden stable organisations, transfer price manipulation, fictitious tax residences and the illicit holding of capital across borders, establishing a tax base of over 31.2 million euros.
There are 38 subjects reported for tax crimes, as well as assets constituting profits from tax evasion and tax fraud, worth 660 thousand euros, seized.
5 proposals have been put forward for the termination of the VAT number and cancellation from the Vies, nei database
against economic entities characterized by tax risk profiles.
The 23 interventions regarding excise duties made it possible to ascertain evaded taxes amounting to over 24,000 euros and fraudulent consumption amounting to over 18 thousand kg of energy products. The anti-smuggling activities led to the identification of 34 kg of foreign manufactured tobacco, which were seized and 1 person reported.
The checks and investigations against illegal gambling have allowed us to discover 3 clandestine betting points and to report 13 responsible parties.
The activity of the Guardia di Finanza in the sector of public spending protection is aimed at monitoring
on the correct use of European Union and national resources, for the implementation of interventions a
support for 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, 114 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 procurement, for approximately 4.2 million euros. .
Attention is also paid to the protection of other resources of the European Union, including the aid provided for by the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy.
In this regard, our departments conducted 3 interventions, ascertaining fraud, implemented through the presentation of untruthful data and false ownership titles, for over 1.4 million euros, making seizures for approximately 1 million euros and reporting 6 perpetrators .
On the national public spending front, in the same period, 729 interventions were carried out, of which 252 related to citizenship income and new inclusion and support measures for training and
Work.
The action to combat fraud against EU resources has overall led to
ascertain contributions unduly received for approximately 2.5 million euros while those relating to
national funding, social security and welfare spending are over 5 million
EUR.
As part of the collaboration with the judicial, criminal and accounting authorities, they were
90 investigations were carried out on the subject of public spending, resulting in 100 subjects being reported e
91 perpetrators reported to the Court of Auditors, with the assessment of treasury damages amounting to over 119 million
of Euro.
The collaboration in the area with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, with which they have been, is growing
2 investigations were carried out which led to the denunciation of 7 perpetrators and the execution of seizures
for around 800 thousand euros.
In terms of procurement, assignment procedures and methods of execution of works and services for over 16 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 5 people, the reporting of 36 and the seizure of assets
for around 200 thousand euros.
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, protect the free
market and compliance with the rules of healthy competition.
In the field of money laundering and self-laundering, 17 interventions were carried out, which led to the reporting of 10 people, of which 4 were arrested, and to the reconstruction of illicit operations for approximately 3 million euros.
At the airport area, 385 checks were carried out on the circulation of currency with the discovery of illicit movements for over 3 million euros, the verification of 74 violations as well as the seizure of counterfeit currency, securities and certificates for 2,381 euros.
In terms of bankruptcy crimes and the business crisis code, the seized assets amount to approximately 2 million euros out of a total of stolen assets of over 7.7 million euros, while with reference to usury and extortion conduct, they have been reported 9 subjects with seizures for over 12.3 million euros.
As part of the fight against organized crime, also aimed at identifying fictitious registrations of assets, 35 investigations were concluded which allowed 87 individuals to be reported to the Judicial Authority, of which 68 were affected by measures restricting personal freedom.
In application of the anti-mafia legislation, 1,202 individuals were subjected to asset checks, which led to the application of seizure, confiscation and judicial administration measures for a value of over 70 million euros.
Then, 3,422 checks were carried out following requests received from the Prefects of the Republic, the majority of which (3,403) referred to checks functional to the release of anti-mafia documentation.
In the period under review, the Catanzaro Financial Police seized, in the province of Catanzaro, approximately 70 kg of narcotic substances, of which over 12 kg of cocaine and other drugs, 58 kg of hashish and
marijuana, as well as 1404 cannabis plants. 112 subjects reported, 77 arrested and 147 those
reported to the Prefects.
Furthermore, on the input of the Economic and Financial Police Unit of Catanzaro, a further 52 kg of narcotic substances were seized at a national level (of which 44 kg of cocaine and 8 kg of marijuana and hashish).
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 fields, aimed at increasing the operational readiness and effectiveness of intervention of patrols in the area , in response to citizen reports.
On the protection of the goods and services market, 77 interventions were carried out, 23 powers of the Judicial Authority were developed and 34 subjects were reported.
Following these activities, over 952 thousand counterfeit products were seized, with false indication of being made in Italy, unsafe and in violation of copyright legislation.
267 kg of agri-food products bearing falsified industrial brands were also seized,
untrue information and the subject of commercial fraud.
As part of the broader mission to contribute to the internal and external security of the country, the
The Financial Police ensures extensive action to combat illicit trafficking in drugs, waste, weapons and
human beings, often of international dimensions.
The Corps’ competitive commitment to the protection of public order and security continues to be guaranteed in the management of public demonstrations and events of particular importance, in which the Corps participates as a priority with the use of specialized Anti-Terrorism Ready-to-Employ soldiers. “AT-PI”.
The context also includes international events characterized by the simultaneous presence of numerous foreign authorities and, often, organized in places also overlooking coastal and port areas.
In this regard, the contribution also offered by the Provincial Guard Command is worthy of mention
Finance in the context of the Italian Presidency of the G7, through the use of 13 AT-PI soldiers as part of the surveillance and security device of the Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Puglia from 13 to 15 June 2024.
In 2023, the Guardia di Finanza spent a total of 5,363 man-days in public order services during demonstrations, sporting events, international meetings and other events.
This commitment, which is continuing in 2024, has led to a total employment of 2,047 man-days in public order services.
