With biggest blow against organized undeclared work in North Rhine-Westphalia, customs has dug up a criminal network which is supposed to have caused a loss of about 48 million euros. 450 construction companies were to be involved in scam, as customs and police in Krefeld were mitting.
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In a nationwide raid, more than 1,100 officials from customs and police were in operation since early Tuesday morning. They searched 140 apartments and business premises. Six men and two women aged 31 to 72 years were arrested with arrest warrant. The investigators confiscated weapons, including two automatic crossbows, cash and several vehicles. Police special commands were also in use.
According to investigators, accused have issued construction companies with bogus invoices on ir company network for services not performed at all. The companies would have paid bills and money – after deducting a commission of up to ten percent – would be returned in cash, said spokesman of investigative commission, Heinz Michael Horst. It was a case of considerable dimensions. Own investigation proceedings were initiated against 450 buyers of bogus invoices.
“Made of Weißgeld black money”
The bogus invoices were recorded as operating expenses. With money paid back by bogus companies, construction companies would have paid actual undeclared work. In this way, companies would have evaded taxes and social security contributions. Horst spoke of a system of “making Weißgeld black Money”. The bill would have amounted to up to four million euros. This shows that not only small companies have been involved, Horst said.
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The investigation has been going on since 2016. According to figures, 14 bogus companies, which were controlled by eight main suspects over 28 straw men, have been revealed. These “service companies” were deregistered after a short period of time, and straw men regularly showed up.
The chief prosecutor Wolf-Tilman Baumert, who was responsible for investigations, said it was a “highly professional perpetrator”. If accused were to be shown tax evasion in a particularly serious case, y would have been threatened with custodial sentences from six months to ten years. In addition, y would have to reckon with claims for damages in millions of dollars.
