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Wed, 02 Apr, 2014 12:05:58 AM Gold brought from Belgium, sent to Norway via Sweden FTimes-STT Report, April 2  File Photo – Lehtikuva. Finnish customs authority suspects that a Helsinki-based company is involved with smuggling a huge stash of gold bars from Belgium to Norway.
Sources said the company allegedly brought 255 kilograms of gold worth about €10m from Belgium from 2011-2012, evading huge amount of tax.
“The customs got their attention drawn after large quantities of gold bars were brought to the Helsinki-Vantaa airport,” said Hannu Sinkkonen, head of the Customs Crime Prevention Unit.
The gold bars were delivered by air and later transported from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport in the trunk of a car. The consignment was then transported to Sweden from Helsinki and Turku in passenger ferries.
From Sweden, the shipment was forwarded through the Norwegian border. In all, the consignment was transported 21 times.
On regular transactions, Norwegian customs authorities charge 25% VAT on such amounts of gold. Authorities in Finland said no tax had been paid for the consignment which could have been in the €2.3m range.
In Finland, the matter is being investigated for aggravated tax fraud and accounting crime.
Three men, two Finns and one Estonian, are the primary suspects, who have been convicted for similar offences in the past in different countries. The incident is also being investigated by Norway police.
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Finland Times
| Thursday, 25 April, 2024 |
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