San Marco Evangelista – A lightning-fast operation conducted by the Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza in Naples led to the seizure of a massive shipment of illegally stored hydrocarbons.
In an industrial area in San Marco Evangelista, in the Caserta area, the Guardia di Finanza (Fiamme Gialle) sealed over 155.000 liters of automotive diesel fuel (known as “Designer”), along with 11.000 liters of lubricating oil and 18.000 liters of additives, ready to be placed on the black market.
The stalking and the raid in the industrial area
The investigation began on the streets of Nola, where local finance officers, during a routine patrol, noticed the suspicious movements of a tanker. Initial checks on the license plate immediately raised alarm: the vehicle was registered to a company already known to law enforcement for previous excise duty violations.
Unnoticed, the officers followed the heavy vehicle to a warehouse in the province of Caserta. When they raided the facility, the finance officers found themselves confronted with a veritable clandestine transfer station: four people were busily pumping contraband diesel from huge plastic containers (known as "cubotti") directly into the tanker, using a professional electric pump.
The “screen” document trick
In addition to the fuel and the three tankers on site, the Guardia di Finanza seized a series of accompanying documents that served as a cover for the illicit trafficking. The system was as simple as it was effective: the organization regularly purchased a small quantity of the product to obtain the legal documentation, which was then used "on a rotating basis" to fictitiously escort much larger loads of tax-deducted diesel fuel.
According to estimates by the Guardia di Finanza, the operation allowed them to block tax evasion (excise duties) amounting to approximately 120.000 euros.
Arrests and charges: the judicial balance
At the conclusion of the operation, the four individuals involved were charged with "evading assessment or payment of excise duty on energy products." The person most likely to be held responsible, the tenant of the industrial area, was arrested in flagrante delicto. Following the validation hearing, the investigating judge of the competent court ordered him to report to the judicial police.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
This article discusses a major operation by the Guardia di Finanza. The quantity of hydrocarbons seized is truly impressive and raises questions about the widespread nature of illicit trafficking in Italy.