Opinion (Rogério COPETO / Official GNR): GNR IN COMBATING EVASION AND TAX FRAUD.
By reason of recent reports in the media which have reported the results of some of the investigations carried out by the Fiscal Action Unit (UAF) da GNR, We took the opportunity to make known the work, that this special unit GNR develops in combating tax evasion and fraud.
Rogério COPETO
Lieutenant Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Head of division and Teaching / Command Doctrine and Training
Without wanting to be too exhausting, recalled the latest results of the various investigations that UAF develops every year, and they were made public through the OCS, as in the case of verified on 6 November, and the DN released with the title "More than 1,6 tons of seized tobacco and four detainees in operation GNR", which it was aware of an investigation by the UAF, which culminated in the seizure of more than 1,6 tons of snuff, no value 660 thousand euros and the arrest of four people in Faro and Vila Nova de Gaia, having the GNR said that the criminal activity of the detainees "...It generated a fraud estimated to exceed one million euros, for VAT and the Special Tax on Tobacco Use, which was materialized by repeated and covert introduction of tobacco leaf in Portugal, obtained in Spain, which was then ground and packaged to be sold on the parallel market at prices below those on the domestic market".
Also this November another research UAF culminated in the seizure of more than 75 thousand cigarettes and the constitution of four accused on suspicion of involvement in a cigarette smuggling network, which has harmed the Portuguese state in about 680 thousand euros, due to non-payment of tax on value added and the Special Tax on Tobacco Use, as reported in the TVI24 04 November in the article entitled "GNR dismantles smuggling snuff rede".
In 19 October was the news seizure 5,5 million cigarettes, assessed in 1,2 million as referred to in Article JN "seized 1,2 million euros tobacco", explaining that during an action of circulating assets control inspection, performed by UAF, They were detected cigarettes a heavy goods vehicle, which was carrying rolls of toilet paper, who had no tax stamp and, that is why, did not fulfill the legal formalities relating to the payment of taxes due, assessed in 1.237.500 euros, of which 994.675 euros correspond to the tax provision due for fraudulent home use.
But the work UAF is not limited to tobacco seizure, having also carried out the seizure of alcoholic beverages, as RTP realize, on your part 19 of May "GNR dismantled illegal network of alcoholic beverages", the UAF as part of operation "Old Brandy"Detained four people and is accused other 29 people, for being involved in the manufacture and illegal sale of alcoholic beverages, which have damaged the state in hundreds of thousands of euros, It is concerned the crimes of criminal association, qualified tax fraud, fraudulent introduction in qualified consumer and receiving stolen goods, evading the payment of taxes due, namely the Tax on Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages and Tax Value Added, which has harmed the Portuguese State in hundreds of thousands of euros.
All this work of the UAF is annually presented by Exmº General Commander of the National Guard during the military ceremony commemorating the anniversaries of GNR, having in May this year, as part of the celebrations of its 105th Birthday, It has been highlighted strengthening the fight against fraud and tax evasion and customs developed by UAF, as news 3 May with the title "GNR: Combating fraud and tax evasion yielded four million in fines", realizing that the GNR during 2015 seized goods worth over two million euros and raised over 17 thousand cars, amounting to more than four million, applied bribes, being investigated 5.744 processes, estimating value-se num 148 million euros in the context of fraud and tax evasion.
But that particular unit GNR is the UAF?
UAF is the heiress of the Fiscal Guard assured since 1885 surveillance and customs tax security and was extinguished after 108 years of activity, in 26 June 1993, taking the time his mission was assigned to the Fiscal Brigade of the GNR however created, with responsibility for prevention, discovery and prosecution of tax and customs offenses.
In 6 November 2007, with the approval of the new organizational structure of GNR, Fiscal Brigade was extinguished and created the UAF, the Coastal Control Unit and Territorial Command of the Azores and Madeira, passing the UAF to be the heir and custodian of the traditions and historical patrimony and documentary Fiscal Guard and Fiscal Brigade, and began its activity in 01 January 2009, whose internal organization is composed of a Command and Staff and five Fiscal Action Detachments located in Lisbon, Port, Coimbra, Évora and Faro, and a nationwide search Detachment, competing you to run criminal and contraordenacional research actions under tax, tax and customs, nationwide, perform tax inspection actions, tax and customs, collect news and support operational and technological research activities carried out by the operational subunits, coordinate and control the monitoring of the movement of goods carried out by the territorial commands across the mainland and functionally coordinating the territorial commands of the Azores and Madeira in the execution of actions resulting from its overall mission.
The UAF is a highly specialized police unit in the tax framework and integrates specialized military and possessed of a high technical level, based on high-quality training, which has specific powers under the goods regime in Circulation, the supervision and control of goods at national level through access to the platform for the Tax and Customs Authority, under the Criminal Investigation Organization Law, in the investigation of tax crimes indictees by its servants in the performance of their duties, including lower amount to one million euros, as well as those who are delegated by the Public Prosecutor, under the General Regime of Infractions Tax investigation of customs offenses, and the conduct of proceedings by customs administrative offense arising from news case raised by the military Guard, under the Tax Code Vehicles, the circulation of the inspection of taxable vehicles and appropriate control of the fiscal situation and finally under the supervision of the Special Tax Code Consumption in combating embezzlement of taxes due, harming the Portuguese State several million euros every year.
Concluding that the UAF performs inspection activities and criminal investigation aimed to combat tax offenses, tax and customs, whose crimes have adverse effects on the national economy, due to the loss of tax revenue, creating imbalances in the markets and increase in situations of job insecurity, contributing their work for a fair tax system and driver of a revitalized economy.
