POLITIC & CRIME

POLITICS & CRIME We reveal: An Italian gang faked a waste business and smuggled bags full of money from Croatia: 'This is a gold mine' The suspects from the large anti-mafia operation have registered companies in Croatia Ana Raić Knežević ANA RAIĆ KNEŽEVIĆ 07/26/2020 216 RECOMMENDATIONS 6 COMMENTS LAST CHANGE: JUL 26, 2020 “Shit has become my mine…. it has become gold, ”said Maurizio Assanelli , a private carrier who, according to the suspicions of the anti-mafia prosecutor's office in Milan, organized a million-dollar fraud with the transport of waste, mostly metal. The chain of this fraud, worth 56 million euros, once again connected several companies from Croatia, through which, as Telegram found out, they were issued fake invoices for scrap metal. A few weeks ago, the Italian authorities exposed this group, which is suspected to have included as many as 39 people. 14 of them were arrested at the very end of the action code-named "Metal Empire". HOW DID THEY CHEAT THE STATE? Investigators secretly monitored them for months - recording their conversations, but also the trucks they allegedly used to transport waste. However, as it turned out from the footage, the trucks were very often empty. Only through the documentation was the business justified, and on the basis of it the pre-tax was expressed, the well-known Italian IVA. On it, this criminal group deprived the state of almost 1.2 million euros. According to the data available so far, the money that was illegally extracted from the Italian budget in this way was laundered through companies established in Croatia and Hungary. The cash withdrawn from the accounts of these companies was simply brought back to Italy. Inspectors reportedly managed to seize even travel bags full of banknotes. Valuable property was also confiscated from Assanelli and his men. According to the report, about 15.4 million euros of funds were blocked, but also 15 real estates, four business halls, six vehicles, shares in six companies… SECRETLY RECORDED CONVERSATIONS Among the evidence confirming that this group cheated on taxes through the waste trade, and laundered illegal earnings through companies abroad, investigators also have recordings of conversations between Assanelli and his people. "I have to give you at least some form… even for a small amount…", it was recorded. "She washes money there." What is not reported in Italy is washed there ", is a detail from one of the secretly recorded conversations. Videos from the circles of companies for the purchase of scrap metal clearly show that the trucks that enter often do not have any cargo at all. At the same time, the accompanying documentation shows that they were loaded, which, as the investigators concluded, was pure fraud. AS MANY AS 42 COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED The investigation has so far established that at least 42 companies were involved in the chain of illegal waste trade. As we have learned, Assanalli's close associates had several of them registered in Croatia - in Lovran and Matulji. Ivano Cesco , a 65-year-old man who was arrested along with Assanelli, in collaboration with another suspect, Emilio Gall (65), opened the Ecometal company in Lovran in 2014. There are several apartments at the address where it is registered. We did not notice any business space. According to the data from the court register, the company last officially reported a profit for 2015 in the amount of about 300 thousand kuna. That year she had 25,203,803 kuna in income. Gallo also has a company registered in BiH, and investigators suspect that the country was also involved in these scams. MORE SUSPICIOUS COMPANIES Cesco's company Metali trgovina is also connected to Ecometal, which is stated to be currently in liquidation. It was registered in 2011 with its headquarters in Banjole in Istria, before being transferred to Matulji. In 2014, trade metals officially reported around HRK 15.9 million in revenue and HRK 15.8 million in expenses. They did not submit business reports later. It is interesting that at the same address in Matulji in 2016, another waste management company owned by Italian citizens was established. One of them, Daniele Lena , is a suspect in this investigation. That company, on the other hand, reported a loss of around three and a half thousand kunas in 2015. THE TEXT CONTINUES AFTER THE AD Sponsored content Experience the thrill of moving into a new home with an RBA home loan! Midas - Native Internet Advertising anti-mafia prosecutor's office , Croatia , Italy , money laundering , fraud , tax evasion Ana Raić Knežević Ana Raić Knežević Telegram author 1864 ARTICLES MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR FACEBOOK (216) TWITTER (0) E-MAIL CLICK AND START A DISCUSSION