The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which led the investigation codenamed “Ambrosia,” announced that charges against 30 defendants—17 individuals and 13 companies—were filed on Tuesday at the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon. Three defendants were placed in pre-trial detention, while another was put under house arrest.
The network allegedly controlled companies based in Portugal, Spain, and France, engaging in VAT fraud involving products such as olive oil, cooking oil, and sugar.
Using falsified documents, a fictitious circuit of international transactions was reportedly created to evade tax payments and falsely claim VAT refunds.
The products allegedly traded internationally are said never to have left Portugal.
The scheme targeted wholesale market operators in Portugal (‘cash and carry’), leveraging fraudulent VAT margins to lower the sale prices of essential goods, thereby distorting competition among businesses in the sector.
The EPPO estimates that the network’s activities resulted in unlawful profits of approximately 35 million euros in VAT, a loss impacting both the Portuguese state treasury and the European Union budget.
If found guilty, the principal defendants could face prison sentences of up to 25 years, while companies could be subjected to fines and judicially ordered dissolution, according to the European Prosecutor’s Office.
