No fewer of 32 searches were carried out in the counties of Calarasi, Constanta, Sibiu, Prahova, Valcea and Giurgiu, as well as in Bucharest and Alba Iulia, aimed at dismantling a criminal ring specializing in tax and customs fraud. Mediafax quoted judicial sources as saying that the case involves customs officers and Calarasi Customs head Ion Voicu, whose home, too, was raided, as well as Calarasi Customs offices. According to anti-organized crime prosecutors, the criminal activity benefited from support given by customs staff at the Calarasi County Excises and Customs Operations Department who only made token controls at the companies involved and provided them with locations required for their operations. Twelve persons were heard yesterday in connection with the case, among whom the head of the Calarasi Customs.The criminal ring was made up of eight people who are accused of purchasing over 11,000 tons of Euro 5 diesel oil under excise exemption regime with the goal of converting it low quality oil products, heavy liquid fuel and Navo diesel oil respectively, through the fiscal warehouse in Calarasi, yet they sold it at fuel distribution stations without paying the taxes due, causing damages worth nearly 5 M euro. The quoted sources say the searches are linked to the “Diesel Oil” case for which former head of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration Sorin Blejnar had been put on trial.Sorin Blejnar was sent for trial over the “Diesel Oil” case along with 16 more people and six companies, being charged by Brasov anti-organized crime prosecutors with setting up or supporting the setting up of an organized criminal ring, tax evasion and money laundering.
