SDOE smashes major fuel smuggling ring
The Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) has dismantled a major fuel smuggling ring, with the fines imposed exceeding 88 million euros. The complex case that occupied SDOE for about four years began following the execution of an order of the financial crimes prosecutor and was completed in September.
During this time, a large ring was identified, involving fuel trading companies as well as retail stations. Essentially, a front company was identified, issuing fake and fictitious figures for the circulation of oil at free stations. The quantity trafficked exceeds 9.5 million liters, which did not come from Greek refineries but from abroad.
After going through six closets of confiscated documents, a total of €88.7 million in fines was imposed (€22.17 million by the Tax Office plus €66.5 million in multiple fees).
At the same time, SDOE also carried out company audits in order to verify compliance with labor legislation. Specifically, 226 inspections were carried out and 266 violations were detected at 83 businesses for underreported and uninsured labor. Audit reports were sent to the competent agencies of labor inspection and the Single Social Security Entity (EFKA) for the imposition of fines totaling €1,452,500.
E-commerce businesses have also been targeted by the authorities. From an audit of a courier company, it was found that an e-commerce enterprise did not issue at least 7,400 retail sale receipts for the years 2020-21, obtaining a financial benefit of more than €370,000, while it did not pay VATof more than €70,000 to the state.
The First Instance Prosecutor’s Office and the competent services of the tax administration were informed of the above cases. According to information, the problem is huge, especially when the payment is made with cash on delivery.
In these cases, many companies “forget” to issue a receipt. Based on the data, cash on delivery payments approach €10 billion euros annually. In this context, the tax office and SDOE are expected to request data from the courier companies (something similar has also been done with the delivery platforms) in order to identify hotbeds of tax evasion.
