The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has announced searches in Slovakia as part of Operation Pantastic, an investigation into suspected customs fraud involving imports of Chinese textiles and footwear and alleged bribery of public officials. Importing companies and customs representatives allegedly issued at least 3,681 false customs documents between January 2016 and December 2019 to evade VAT, while imported goods were also allegedly undervalued to reduce customs duties. Officials are suspected of accepting bribes to facilitate the release of goods using falsified documents.
Source: eppo.europa.eu