Waste traffickingMoney laundering and invoicing for non-existent transactions: these are the charges that the Bologna District Anti-Mafia Directorate is bringing against six people arrested on the orders of the Bologna investigating judge in the 'Scap Country' investigation.
The investigation, which stemmed from a tax audit of a medium-sized company located in the Gambettola scrap metal district in the Forlì area, concluded with the discovery of €22,5 million and the filing of a tax fraud complaint against the company's management. Today, the precautionary custody order was executed.
The Forlì-Cesena PEF Unit, with the support of the Central Organized Crime Investigation Service (SCICO) and the territorial units of the provinces of Naples, Pesaro-Urbino, and Milan, arrested six people and executed a precautionary seizure order worth €12,5 million against the suspects and the companies involved.
Tax audits, environmental and telephone wiretaps, 13 people and two companies involved in trouble: here's the fraudulent mechanism
In total, 13 people are under investigation and two companies are involved. The investigation was launched due to inconsistencies between the company's accounting and non-accounting documentation.
Furthermore, a truck driver was found in the company yard busy loading scrap metal accompanied by waste identification forms that did not refer to the inspected company and in possession of stamps from a Neapolitan company.
35 euros in cash were also found at the office, which the owner claimed was funds for small payments on ferrous materials.
Wiretaps and environmental investigations revealed that the Romagna scrap dealer, using cash received from people of Campanian origin, purchased ferrous metal (copper, bronze, brass, steel, and iron) illegally. Using compliant truck drivers, he transported the metal to a company in Pesaro, where it remained long enough to simulate the cargo and prepare false documentation of the metals' origin. The metals were then sold to foundries and recycling plants.
The Marche-based company itself legitimized the sale by issuing invoices for non-existent transactions with a reconstructed value of over €16 million, collecting the payments for the ferrous scrap through its own bank accounts. Finally, through other fictitious commercial purchase transactions, the money was returned to its available funds and laundered for the untraceable purchase of further scrap metal.
It's not easy to understand everything by reading the article, there are a lot of technical passages and confusing legal terms; perhaps the investigations will clarify things but the provinces and companies involved will have serious economic consequences and many workers will risk losing their jobs.
It seems to me that the matter is complicated but not entirely clear; the documents do not correspond, the invoices appear to be fake and the transporters are complacent, there are passages that are not fully understood and justice will have to ascertain, let's hope for clarity soon and that there is no impunity.