An investigation coordinated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Catania and conducted by the Economic and Financial Police Unit of the Guardia di Finanza has led to the execution of personal and asset precautionary measures in connection with an alleged fraud involving excise duties and VAT on fuels. The Prosecutor’s Office states that the proceedings concern seven suspects and have resulted in personal measures against five of them, considered, to varying degrees, responsible for the continued offence of fraudulent evasion of the assessment and payment of excise duties on energy products. At the centre of the investigation is an entrepreneur from Adrano active in road haulage and logistics.
According to prosecutors, the individual, together with four others, allegedly set up an illegal system to procure large shipments of diesel in total evasion of VAT and excise duties, using them for his business activities and thereby securing highly competitive purchase prices and significant tax savings. Investigators believe the entrepreneur to be the legal and/or de facto director of several transport companies operating in Adrano.
The first strand of the alleged fraud concerns the procurement of diesel from three refineries in Eastern Europe. The fuel was reportedly transported into Italy by road and rail, including through the intermediation of an Italian national who owns the UK-based company Oil & Oil Trading, using accompanying documentation falsely indicating a tax-exempt product described as "anti-corrosive bio liquid". The transport operations for collecting and importing the fuel into Italy were allegedly carried out multiple times by three drivers.
The second strand relates to subsidised agricultural diesel. According to the investigation, the Catania-based entrepreneur allegedly sourced this product with the support of the manager of an energy products depot in the province of Enna. The fuel, which benefits from a 10% VAT rate instead of 22% and lower excise duties compared with road diesel, was then allegedly used to power trucks belonging to the haulage companies, despite being intended for agricultural use. The supply was formally invoiced to an agricultural cooperative in Biancavilla, which investigators believe acted as a documentary cover.
During the investigation, carried out with operational support from the Economic and Financial Police Units of Padua, Ravenna and Udine, as well as the Tolmezzo Company, approximately 143,000 litres of energy products were seized, along with an illegal fuel depot, six vehicles including tank containers, tractor units and semi-trailers, as well as 58 cubic or above-ground tanks, pumps and dispensing nozzles. This evidence reinforces the hypothesis of a structured and well-equipped operation. The total value of the seized assets exceeds €235,000.
The measures concerned the haulage companies Tir International, Logistica Zero and New Logistica, all based in Adrano and managed by the investigated entrepreneur. The Prosecutor’s Office noted that Tir International is also subject to seizure for administrative liability of the entity, as the company allegedly benefited from the illicit scheme. Two suspects have been ordered to report regularly to judicial police, while three others have been banned from conducting business activities.
