Corruption, Crime, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation
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Friday, 29.03.2024, 10:46
Latvian tax authority launches criminal procedure against former high-ranking State Police official
The suspect
also has supported a group that has caused loss to the state worth more than 3 mln
euros.
According
to the information at the disposal of LETA, the former high-ranking official is
Sanita Bite who was the deputy chief
of the Kurzeme Regional Department and chief of the Criminal Police bureau in
the time period between 2009 and 2011. The Kurzeme Regional Department of the
State Police and VID did not comment on this information.
VID
reported that the Tax and Customs Police officials conducted searches in places
of residence, cars, offices of persons linked to the criminal case, and seized
significant evidence and cash.
Two
processes have been launched against legal entities, shares and real estate
property of suspects have been arrested. The company that was used to perform
the illegal activities provided also security and legal services.
There are
two suspects in the case, including former State Police official who had used
information and experienced obtained during work in the police to conduct the
crimes.
In a series
of investigations and operational activities, it was discovered that the former
police officer supported and consulted another group that scammed money in the
wholesale flower business. The group established a number of fake company
chains to avoid taxes. Also, it laundered money using bank accounts of fake
companies in banks of Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic. The group
included 12 persons.
According
to VID, the chain of fake transactions involved in total 17 real and fake
companies registered in Latvia. In the time period between July 2016 and
September 2018, the loss caused to the state budget amounts to more than 3 mln euros.
Under the
criminal procedure, 34 searchers were conducted in places of residence, cars
and offices in Riga, Ogre, Adazi and Liepaja.