Four arrested in €5 million tax fraud

The Fiscal Action Unit, based in Faro, joined colleagues across much of the country on Tuesday, March 19, in an investigation into tax fraud – named as ‘Ouro Verde.’

Searches in Faro, Beja, Évora, Setúbal, Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Viseu and Oporto culminated in the arrest of four people, three men and one woman.

The GNR statement read that, for more than a year a group of individuals who, through the successive creation of forest service companies in false names or names of people residing overseas, made false tax declarations and made profits through the non-payment of VAT and company tax, estimated at more than €5 million in a scheme that lasted several years.

The investigation resulted in four arrest warrants, as well as 34 search warrants that led to the seizure of 28 vehicles, 15,200 liters of agricultural diesel, €6,890 in cash, 15 company stamps, accounting and banking documentation, 19 mobile phones, eight computers, two hard drives, four credit cards, a firearm and a small amount of cannabis and hashish.

One of those arrested men already was wanted to serve five years in prison.

The other three detainees, two men and one woman, aged between 38 and 49 years, were charged and have to report to their local police station every two weeks.

This GNR operation resulted also in naming 14 people as defendants, as well as three companies.

The detainees are charged with tax fraud, criminal association, abuse of trust, forgery of documents and fraudulent insolvency.
 
The GNF fielded 116 personnel to back up 39 from the Tax Authority.