In 2023 and the first five months of 2024, the Yellow Flames of the Cosenza Provincial Command they performed 3,826 inspections and 472 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 guarantee the correct allocation of the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The report of the activities
The inspection activities made it possible to identify 108 total tax evadersi.e. operators of business or self-employed activities completely unknown to the tax authorities (many of whom operate through electronic commerce platforms) and 385 illegal workers or irregular. THE There are 137 subjects reported for tax crimes.
Following investigations delegated by the judicial authority, the value of the assets proposed for the seizure for crimes relating to direct taxes and VAT is over 9.4 million euros, still under consideration by the respective Public Prosecutor’s Offices. 15 proposals were made for the termination of the VAT number and cancellation from the Vies database, against economic entities characterized by tax risk profiles.
The interventions regarding excise duties amounted to 26, and 75, however, were customs controls on goods introduced into the national territory in tax evasion, counterfeit or in violation of safety regulations.
Against illegal gambling
The checks and investigations against illegal gaming have made it possible to ascertain tax evasion of over 40 million eurosfor the purposes of the Single Revenue Levy (Preu), income taxes (Ires) and the Regional Tax on productive activities (Irap), to discover 6 clandestine betting collection points, to report 13 managers, as well as to seize 49 machines and fun and entertainment devices.
Protection of public spending
The activity of the Guardia di Finanza of Cosenza in the area of public spending protection is aimed at monitoring the correct use of European Union and national resources, for the implementation of interventions to support businesses and families. The directives issued aim, as a priority, to monitor projects and investments financed with resources from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
In this context they were 154 interventions were carried out aimed at verifying the entitlement of citizens and businesses of tax credits, contributions and financing, as well as the correct execution of works and services subject to public procurement, for 2.4 million euros of fraud discovered to the detriment of the national and community budget.
Attention is also paid to tuse of other European Union resources, including aid provided for by the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy. To about, the Gdf conducted 9 interventionsascertaining fraud, carried out through the presentation of untruthful data and false ownership titles, for 72,000 euros and reporting 3 perpetrators.
On the front of national public spendingin the same period, were carried out 938 interventionsof which 584 on the subject of citizenship income and new inclusion and support measures for training and work.
The action to combat fraud against EU resources has led overall to ascertaining contributions unduly received for over 4.9 million euros while those relating to national funding, social security and welfare spending are over 4.5 million euros.
As part of the collaboration with the Judicial Authority – criminal and accounting – 599 investigations were carried out on the subject of public spending, the outcome of which were 848 individuals were reported and 200 managers reported to the Court of Auditors, with the assessment of treasury damages of 26.4 million euros. There is a growing collaboration in the area with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, with which 4 investigations were carried out which led to the denunciation of 3 perpetrators and to the making of seizure proposals for 15,000 euros.
In terms of procurement, assignment procedures and methods of execution of works and services for over 5.2 million euros were monitored.
Interventions in the PA
The action of the Corps in the fight against corruption and other crimes against the Public Administration, carried out by leveraging the specific investigative powers that characterise the economic-financial police, and by developing structured investigations of a technical, financial and patrimonial nature, aimed at reconstructing the criminal plans and the role of the subjects involved, has led to the complaint from 101 subjects, of which 53 are public officials and public service representatives.
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 compliance with the rules of healthy competition.
In the field of recycling and self-laundering 29 interventions were carried out, which led to the reporting of 42 people and the reconstruction of illicit operations for 32.8 million euros. Over 441 reports regarding suspicious financial flows generated by operators of the anti-money laundering prevention system were investigated, of which 8 related to terrorist financing.
The Corps’ action also continued to protect savers in combating all forms of banking and financial abuse, perpetrated mainly through electronic channels and increasingly innovative digital tools, with the reporting of 4 subjects.
Bankruptcy crimes
In terms of bankruptcy crimes and the corporate crisis code, the assets proposed for the seizures amount to over 28 million euros on a total of diverted assets of over 124 million euros. In application of anti-mafia legislation, asset investigations were carried out against 311 subjectsand assets worth over 610,000 euros were seized, as well as asset seizure proposals forwarded for a value of over 16 million euros.
They were then carried out 1,425 investigations at the request of the Prefecture of Cosenza and other Territorial Offices of the Government of the entire national territory, most of which refer to checks functional to the release of anti-mafia documentation.
Illicit trafficking
In the period under review, the departments dependent on the Cosenza Provincial Command seized, in the provincial territory, approximately 30 kg of narcotic substances, consisting of cocaine (24 kg), heroin (3.5 kg), hashish (1.5 kg) marijuana (1 kg) reporting 72 subjects to the AG (of which 33 were under arrest) and reporting 184 to the Prefects.
The fight against illicit trafficking, in general, is also insured as part of the “117” servicethe subject of recent updates in the operational, training and technical-logistic fields, aimed at increasing the operational readiness and effectiveness of intervention of patrols in the area and of naval vessels, in response to citizens’ reports.
Protection of the market for goods and services
In terms of protecting the market for goods and services, they were 168 operations were performed and 70 subjects reported. Following these activities, 3.7 million counterfeit products were seized, with false indications of being made in Italy, unsafe and in violation of copyright legislation.
During 2023 and the first 5 months of 2024, the total interventions carried out by the Alpine Rescue of the Guardia di Finanza of Cosenza were 23 and allowed to bring 27 people to safety and recover 5 bodies.
The soldiers of “AT-PI”
The Corps’ competitive commitment to the protection of public order and safety continues to be guaranteed in the management of public demonstrations and events of particular importance, in which the Corps participates primarily with the use of specialized Anti-Terrorism ready-to-use soldiers “AT-PI”.
The context includes both coordinated local intervention plans “High impact” and “Focus ‘Ndrangheta”as well as events of international scope characterized by the simultaneous presence of numerous foreign authorities and, often, organized in places also overlooking coastal and port areas.
In this regard, worthy of mention is the contribution also offered by the ATPI rates located among the employees of the Cosenza and Sibari departments within the forums and events for the Italian Presidency of the G7. In 2023the Guardia di Finanza of Cosenza employed a total of 7,718 man-days in public order and security services during demonstrations, sporting events and other events.
This commitment, which is continuing in 2024, has led to an overall use of 2,541 man-days in public order and safety services.
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