The Gjirokastra Police has dismantled a criminal group engaged in a VAT fraud scheme. The group consisted of three Albanian citizens and three Italian citizens.
According to the police, these six individuals operated as a criminal group, creating three fake companies to exploit VAT. As part of the ongoing criminal proceedings, following the court’s orders, three bank accounts containing 1.3 million euros and 13 million Albanian lek were seized.
“Based on operational data from the investigative structures in Gjirokastra, and following the procedural material referred by this police directorate and the registration of proactive criminal proceedings, after investigations conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Judicial Police of the Local Police Directorate in Gjirokastra, the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction ordered the inspection of places and the seizure of evidence, such as bank account numbers, related to the subjects attributed with criminal acts,” the Gjirokastra Police announced.
“The structures for the Investigation of Economic and Financial Crime in Gjirokastra, with the support of the Directorate for Economic and Financial Crime in the Criminal Police Department of the General Directorate of State Police, conducted inspections in three subjects in Tirana. During the inspections, they found, documented, and seized crucial documentary evidence for the investigations. Additionally, 19 invoices from different commercial entities suspected of being held to carry out criminal activities were also seized. Documents related to the subjects under investigation were scrutinized and seized, and necessary procedural actions were carried out,” the Police statement continues.
“These fraudulent schemes, are being investigated for their links to the Italian citizen V. R., who was arrested and sentenced in 2009 and 2013 by the tax police in Caltanissetta, Italy, for ‘Tax fraud amounting to millions of euros, perpetrated through the systematic and methodical use of false invoices for goods and services not provided or executed for significantly lower amounts’. It has also been found that the arrested subject was involved in serious embezzlement, as well as the fictitious registration of V.R.’s assets, exploiting around 11 different companies by forging invoices for services and/or sales of goods not provided and seeking reimbursement through VAT,” concludes the Police statement.
The Prosecutor’s Office, in cooperation with the Judicial Police, will deepen the investigations by collaborating and exchanging information and expertise with Italian authorities to gather evidence and identify and document all individuals involved in these fraud schemes.
