A joint operation in Spain between the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency allowed to seize $ 35,500 in cryptocurrencies to a group that marketed mobile phones and other devices as part of a tax fraud scheme. It is a network that evaded the payment of VAT through fictional operations.
The organization was dismantled after years of investigation within the framework of the operational «Backmobile», directed by the Court of Instruction No. 6 of Malaga, Spain. In total, 15 people were arrested and 9,000 devices, more than 200,000 euros in cash and a fleet of 75 vehicles, in addition to the mentioned cryptocurrency amount were confiscated.
The investigation, initiated in 2019, revealed a network of commercial companies – more than twenty – distributed by different provinces of Spain. These firms, which included both importers and retail shops, were dedicated to simulating transactions and resactions between themwith the aim of hiding the true route of the devices and thus dodging the payment of VAT.
The magnitude of the crime was evidenced when the agents began to track the fate of the profits. More than 280 bank accounts were used to move the money, part of which ended up invested in real estate. At the moment, 146 properties linked to those involved have been blocked.
According to estimates, The volume of fraud exceeds 20 million euros. However, the figure could increase as the seized documentation is analyzed.
The network operated buying devices in large volumes. Part of the stock was acquired through imports and another part was obtained taking advantage of offers and promotions in large stores.
Subsequently, the products entered a fictional commercial circuit: false invoices were issued, shipments were simulated, and in many cases the packages did not contain cell phonesbut materials that imitated their weight, such as wood or bottles of water, so as not to arouse suspicion in logistics controls.
Thus, the products were resembled as reconditioned, both in the Spanish market and outside the country, through digital platforms with European reach.
The final deployment of the “backmobile” operation was carried out nationwide, with 23 simultaneous records in business headquarters and private homes. Malaga, Valencia, Sevilla, Madrid, Cádiz and Barcelona were some of the key points where the authorities acted.
The arrests were concentrated in those provinces, with five arrests in Malaga, five in Valencia, two in Madrid and one in each of the others, according to information of local media.
The network operated with a high level of professionalization, both in its business structure and in its logistics. Therefore, the operation required years of coordination between the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency, especially with the Inspection Delegation in Andalusia.
Both agencies agreed to highlight the impact of this type of crimenot only because of the tax damage, but also for the distortion they generate in the business competition.
This case of fiscal fraud charges greater relevance at a key moment, in which Spain is advancing in the definition of its regulatory framework for the control of digital assets and tax obligations.
During the past week, as Cryptonoticias reported, the Council of Ministers approved in second review a bill to incorporate the DAC8 board of the European Union, which will increase fiscal supervision About cryptocurrencies.
The regulations will allow the Tax Agency to access detailed information on user operations and balances, even abroad, and will grant you the ability to seize digital assets to settle tax debts.
