18:43 - 18.06.2026
June 18, Fineko/abc.az. Experts from the Silesian Customs and Tax Administration have dismantled a major Value Added Tax (VAT) evasion ring within the cosmetics sector involving dozens of corporate entities across Poland and the European Union.
According to ABC.AZ, via local media outlet RMF24, the criminal network utilized "shell companies" devoid of physical assets or employees to mask supply chains and generate fictitious commercial transactions. While these shell entities were managed by nominal strawmen, the masterminds orchestrated and concealed the illicit flow of goods and corporate documentation.
The tax audits covered 38 separate entities within the distribution chain, identifying financial violations exceeding 534 million PLN (approximately $133.5 million USD).
To secure asset recovery, banking credentials and corporate accounts of 4 entities have been frozen, resulting in the seizure of over €865,000 (around $940,000 USD) and 50,000 PLN (around $12,500 USD).
The investigation is ongoing to identify all participants and network organizers. Preliminarily, the financial damage inflicted on the Polish State Treasury by this fraudulent scheme is estimated at nearly 800 million PLN.
