The individual had evaded arrest in Prague in November 2024, prior to an action targeting the international criminal ring, carried out by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), and had been at large for six months.

The suspect landed at Milan Malpensa airport from Tirana, Albania and surrendered to the police units dedicated to the EPPO (Italian Guardia di Finanza and Polizia di Stato).

He is suspected of criminal association, aggravated by mafia methods and aiding and abetting mafia clans, money laundering and committing a series of tax offences relating to intra-community VAT fraud. 

During the action carried out by the EPPO in November 2024 in more than 10 countries, 43 suspects have already been arrested and millions of euros of luxury cars, yachts and properties have been seized.

Between 2020 and 2023, the syndicate issued invoices for the sales of airpods, wireless earphones, laptops and other electronic goods totalling more than €1.3bn.

The suspects established companies in Italy and other EU member states, as well as in non-EU countries, to trade the goods through a fraudulent chain of missing traders – who would vanish without fulfilling their tax obligations.

Other companies in the fraudulent chain would subsequently claim VAT reimbursements from national tax authorities.

‘The level of complexity and efficiency of this criminal syndicate committing VAT carousel fraud is unprecedented’, investigators at EPPO said.

A total of 195 individuals are being investigated, with more than 400 companies involved.

A freezing order of over €520m is in execution to compensate the damage to the EU and the national budgets. In Italy alone, 129 bank accounts were frozen, and 192 real estate properties seized, together with 44 luxury cars and boats.

Arrests made in 'unprecedented' Moby Dick VAT fraud | 15 Nov 2024