Twenty-three people have been detained in Argentina in an investigation into alleged tax fraud linked to grain trading. Authorities estimate the suspected scheme at 10 million US dollars.
The investigation began after a complaint by the Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA-DGI), which identified 59 taxpayers suspected of involvement in irregular transactions.
Investigators believe fictitious grain purchases and sales were used to create false withholdings in the Withholding Control System (SICORE) and obtain improper value-added tax (VAT) refunds.
Judge Gustavo Darío Meirovich ordered searches at 85 addresses in several jurisdictions. They took place in Rosario and General López in Santa Fe province; Villaguay in Entre Ríos province; the capitals of Santiago del Estero and Córdoba provinces; the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires; and Escobar in Buenos Aires province.
Police seized 10 vehicles, 55 mobile phones, 15 laptops, 13 computers, three tablets, three netbooks, three external storage devices, two computer towers and documents relevant to the case. They also seized cash amounting to 15,433,100 Argentine pesos, 78,205 US dollars, 7,715 euros and 1,000 Chilean pesos.
All those charged are adult Argentine nationals. They remain at the disposal of the judge as the case proceeds over alleged violations of the tax penal regime and other offences under Law No. 27,430 and Argentina’s Criminal Code.
