Eurojust coordinates cross-border action against money laundering network

The Hague, 31 May 2016

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Today, a coordination centre at Eurojust supported an action day against a criminal network involved in international money laundering, criminal acts relating to organised bankruptcy and aggravated fraud. Starting in the early hours of the morning, approximately 50 simultaneous searches of homes and premises, more than 150 seizures of bank accounts related to the suspects and linked companies, as well as witness hearings, were carried out in Italy, Portugal and Slovenia. Operations are also ongoing in other countries.

The operation, code-named ‘Barqueiro’, was coordinated in Italy by the Prosecutor’s Office of Modena, after one year of intense investigation by the Guardia di Finanza, and led to the arrest of all six key targets (including one fugitive in Albania) and a seizure order equivalent to approximately EUR 11 million. The money represented the illicit profits of the criminal organisation, which specialised in laundering money from a variety of crimes, including organised bankruptcy, tax evasion and VAT fraud.

Eurojust was contacted in December 2015 by the Prosecutor’s Office of Modena to request judicial assistance from Portugal and Slovenia in mapping the activities of the criminal group abroad and agreeing on a common strategy. On 15 March, a coordination meeting was held at Eurojust to exchange information with the involved judicial authorities, as well as to prepare and coordinate investigative measures. Participants agreed that a joint action day would take place at the end of May 2016.

Today’s operation shows that the joint efforts of the national police and judicial authorities involved, if coordinated efficiently, can make a difference in the fight against economic crime and money laundering, which represent a threat to a healthy economy, divert the flow of legal resources and operate without borders.

Following this operation, Mr Pietro Suchan, Magistrate-Assistant to the National Member for Italy at Eurojust, said:

This coordination centre was set up by the Italian National Desk at Eurojust in close cooperation with the Portuguese and Slovenian Desks and national authorities to facilitate real-time information exchange and decide on operational initiatives as the action day evolved. Once again, the prompt and valuable assistance of our colleagues at Eurojust and abroad allowed issues to be resolved swiftly, which may arise even in such a well-planned operation. Eurojust’s efforts were appreciated by the competent Italian authorities.

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