A double illicit profit that came from tax evasion and the sale of overpriced products compared to their true commercial value. There are 14 suspects. The financial police commands of the municipalities of Matera and Turin carried out an investigation regarding a trafficking of lubricating oils for cars and trucks between European Union countries. The investigation, coordinated by the Turin office of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, revealed the trading operations of lubricating products accompanied by strategies of evasion of national taxes. Further computer analysis revealed the involvement of a company from Matera, main supplier in central and southern Italy. Illegal payments and activities that did not comply with national contributions were discovered, as well as prosecutions buying and selling by criminal organizations towards compliant sector operators. The financial police would have found traces of the company’s hidden accounting, with totals amounting to 52 million euros. Furthermore, probable actions of revenue laundering and brand counterfeiting also came to light: in fact, the loose goods were put on sale in containers with false labels with information regarding products of greater commercial value, printed by a compliant printer.
the investigations, in total
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Throughout the national territory, 18 consignments of goods imported and marketed illegally were seized for a total of 470 tonnes of lubricating oil and similar materials. From 2017 to 2023 the amount of the tax evasion would be 14 million euros of VAT, in addition to one million euros as national consumption tax. The seizure of assets and financial resources of up to 15.4 million euros was also ordered, together with the 14 precautionary measures issued by the Turin court at the request of the European Prosecutor’s Office, eight of whom are in prison and six under house arrest.
