ITALY FRAUD
May 1st, 2004
BY KEITH NUTHALLCHARGES have been laid against alleged fraudsters in an Italy-based cigarette smuggling scam costing European treasuries Euro 31.6 million in evaded duties. The public prosecutor of Asti, Italy, released details of the alleged con, involving 287,884 kg of cigarettes being smuggled accompanied by forged customs stamps being presented to Italian customs officials. One method involved selling cigarettes to companies in the Swiss duty-free zone of Samnau; the businesses actually did not exist, but Samnau's status enabled the cigarettes to be ...
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