ROME – Incomes not reported for almost 50 billion Euros, a total of 8850 tax evaders, including almost 4,500 fake invalids and false poor, seizures for more than three billion from organized crime and for more than 110 million counterfeit or dangerous products. This is the data of the activity report of the Guardia di Finanza in 2010.
Tax evasion. It is the single most important aspect, the one whose figures are the most impressive. 49.245 billion Euros of undeclared incomes were discovered . The sum – already announced by the commander of the GdF, General Nino di Paolo to the members of the House Finance Committee during a hearing last January 26 – has grown by 46% compared to 2009.
8850 total evaders were also identified (up 18% over the previous year): people and businesses that while carrying out economic activities have never submitted a tax return in 2010 and have evaded income for more than 20 billion (+47 % compared to 2009) and taxes by 2.6 billion. Of these, 3,288 have evaded more than 77 thousand Euro of taxes. And also in 2010 Italians have also evaded almost 30.5 billion of IRAP and 6.3 billion of VAT. 635 million instead of taxes withheld or not paid.
Of the nearly 50 billion hidden to the tax, 10.5 are those identified in cases of international tax evasion, almost double than 2009 (5.8 billion), made by falsely transferring the residence abroad, either the person’s or the company’s, triangulations with off-shore countries and omitted statements of funds held abroad. The money of these tax evaders are mainly in Luxembourg and Switzerland, where more than 50% of over 10 billion evaded taxes were identified. Follows the UK (7%), Panama (6%), San Marino and Liechtenstein (2%). Overall, the report finds, in 2010 the officers of the Guardia di Finanza have carried out 31,777 checks on the phenomena of evasion, avoidance and more serious and widespread evasion; 79,872 controls on individual acts of management and 779,863 equipment control, those relating to the issuance of receipts and tax receipts. Finally, 18,541 (+12% compared to 2009) the workers working “in nero” (without being employed) for 7,822 employers, including 5,508 from outside the Community.
Fake invalids and false poor. 4486 have been discovered, all taken to court. The fraudsters have benefited from state aid, in the form of scholarships, grants for rent and other subsidies while not having any rights for it. Just to name a few, in Veneto fake poor have been identified who asked for funds to pay the rent but drove luxury cars; in down town Florence, apartment owners have the audacity to ask for vouchers for school canteens and for the purchase of books for their children; in Calabria traders seeking exemption from the health ticket despite having 90 properties.
Seized property from organized crime. In 2010, the Guardia di Finanza seized 4,828 assets worth over three billion – 30% more than in 2009 – and has confiscated 542 assets, valued at 142 million. 23% of the value of the seizures goes back to factories and goods in central-north Italy: a sign that has become normal in the course of asset investigation, even if undertaken by departments of southern Italy, is the search conducted in any area of the country “.
Money laundering. As part of the contrast to the economic-financial offences, for the crimes of money laundering, usury, banking, corporate, bankruptcy and the stock exchange, 701 people were arrested and 5977 were reported. Of these, 1,131 were reported and had their money seized for 367 million (+21% on 2009): in 2010 they laundered over 3.2 billion.
Drugs and games. As for the fight against international drug trafficking, investigations have allowed to report 9,180 people, of whom 3,135 were arrested. A total 20.5 tons of drugs were seized (+61% compared to 2009). Also important is the activity of testing on the games: the military has in fact closed in 2010 almost two thousand centres for unauthorized gambling, including online ones(166% more than last year).
The industry of fake goods. More than 110 million counterfeit or dangerous products have been seized. During the investigation the men of the GDF have found that now everything is counterfeit: from car parts to helmets, from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, from the objects of jewellery to stickers. “Although the fashion, apparel and accessories have been confirmed in areas where counterfeiting and false statement ‘made in Italy’ are still very popular – the report said – the operations conducted in 2010 showed a significant increase seizures of consumer goods (+36%) and products harmful to health (+33%). The report also confirms the increasing involvement of organized crime of false Italian and foreign industry: 341 are the people who were charged with conspiracy to counterfeit and 98 of those arrested, 50% more than in 2009
Source: http://www.repubblica.it/economia/2011/01/31/news/rapporto_gdf-11866148/?rss