The Financial Police in the Italian city of Chieti have reported 63 irregular immigrants and three consultants to the authorities. The police believe the group illegally opened VAT accounts for the sole purpose of obtaining stay permits.
Last week, the Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) provincial command in the city of Chieti, in the Italian region of Abruzzo, discovered a system whereby a group of migrants allegedly illegally opened new VAT accounts for the purpose of obtaining stay permits across the country.
A total of 63 irregular immigrants and three tax consultants have been reported to the authorities. The investigation, which was coordinated by Lieutenant Giancarlo Passeri, began from checks into the business activities of non-EU immigrants in possession of VAT numbers.
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Databank cross-checking
After consulting databanks and analysing documents acquired by the foreigners' office based at Chieti Police Headquarters, the police found that in 63 of the cases the income statements sent to internal revenue service were -- with the help of three professional accomplices -- allegedly fraudulent as they were not supported by tax documentation such as invoices and/or returns.
Investigators suspected that the business activities claimed were not in fact happening and that the income statements were created and sent by the alleged business owners -- all originally from North Africa -- for the sole purpose of being able to continue to live in Italy and enjoy the benefits that this residency provides.
In addition, 54 requests for cessation of VAT registrations were received by the internal revenue sevice -- 44 of which were already granted.
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Benefits paid out to those found to be unentitled
The Financial Police also found 19 people that had illegally obtained Italian citizenship, while 52 people of non-EU origins were receiving economic benefits without being entitled to them, including what is known as "citizenship income", family checks, and inclusion income.
The total of these benefits amounted to 1,445,262.38 euros.
"The Financial Police focused on countering the aiding and abetting of clandestine immigration, so as not to scatter resources set aside for" others, Chieti provincial commander Colonel Michele Iadarola said.
"For this reason," he added, a request would be sent to the relevent public administration bodies for the "revocation of the stay permits granted and the consequent recovery of economic benefits sent to wrong-doers."
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