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EPPO raids 19 countries in massive mobile phone fraud crackdown
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has launched a major cross-border operation, codenamed ‘Troja’, targeting a criminal organization suspected of selling over one million used mobile phones as new devices. The investigation involved more than 160 searches across 19 countries, utilizing approximately 1,770 officials from police, tax, and customs authorities.
Investigators allege the group assembled phones from used components in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. These devices were then cleaned, repackaged as new, and shipped to the Netherlands before being moved to warehouses in Germany. From there, they were sold via online marketplaces throughout the European Union.
The scheme is estimated to have caused at least 300 million euros in damages to EU consumers. Additionally, the organization is accused of using shell companies in several EU member states and Switzerland to commit VAT fraud, resulting in losses exceeding 30 million euros, including at least 25 million euros in Germany alone.
Seven suspects, including two alleged leaders of the organization, were arrested in Austria, Germany, and Spain. Authorities have seized a significant amount of digital and physical evidence during the raids.
Entities
Eugen R. · European Anti-Fraud Office · European Public Prosecutor's Office · Germany · Hong Kong · Netherlands · Oleksiy S. · Polizei Frankenthal · Polizei Mettmann · Samsung · United Arab Emirates
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 22 SOURCES] Seven suspects, including two leaders of the organization, were arrested. www.it-journal.de · www.oldenburger-onlinezeitung.de · blaulichtmyk.de · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · nos.nl · +16 more
- [● 28 SOURCES] A criminal organization assembled mobile phones from used components in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. www.it-journal.de · www.zeit.de · www.fehmarn24.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.oldenburger-onlinezeitung.de · +19 more
- [● 22 SOURCES] Authorities conducted over 160 searches across 19 countries involving 1,770 officials. www.it-journal.de · www.oldenburger-onlinezeitung.de · blaulichtmyk.de · www.zeit.de · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · +16 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Oleksiy S. and Eugen R. are suspected of leading a criminal organization. www.tagesschau.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A 43-year-old Ukrainian national, Oleksiy S., was arrested in Düsseldorf. www.tagesschau.de
- [● 27 SOURCES] The scheme caused a VAT loss of over 30 million euros across several EU member states. www.it-journal.de · www.zeit.de · www.fehmarn24.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.oldenburger-onlinezeitung.de · +18 more
- [● 28 SOURCES] At least one million mobile phones were sold as new devices. www.it-journal.de · www.zeit.de · www.fehmarn24.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.oldenburger-onlinezeitung.de · +19 more
- [● 28 SOURCES] The fraud caused at least 300 million euros in damages to EU consumers. www.it-journal.de · www.zeit.de · www.fehmarn24.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.oldenburger-onlinezeitung.de · +19 more