Today, the first court hearing of an EPPO case in Bulgaria took place in Sofia (Bulgaria) in the Specialised Criminal Court. The defendant, a General Expert working for the Bulgarian State Fund Agriculture (SFA), has been in custody since the beginning of September 2021 and has been brought to court for his first hearing in a case of bribery.

The Italian Customs Police and the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) seized a shipment of nearly 30 tonnes of tobacco products of foreign manufacture at the Port of Trieste in November 2021. The shipment had come from Malawi and the tobacco was intended to be sold on the EU market European territory.

The College has appointed 1 new European Delegated Prosecutor in Bulgaria. Another candidate was rejected by the College for not meeting all the requirements set out in the EPPO Regulation.

Today, the Slovak office of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) led an operation in Slovakia and Czechia against four companies suspected of violating tax and customs regulations when importing consumer goods from third (non-EU) countries. The total damages are estimated at €48 million.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) signed a working arrangement on 7 December 2021 with the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) – comprised of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF). This arrangement aims to provide a structured framework for an efficient cooperation between both parties, within their respective mandates and competences.

Last week (23 November), the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) led an operation in which Czech police (Národní centrála proti organizovanému zločinu služby kriminální policie a vyšetřování) seized €16 400 and conducted several house searches and searches of other premises, on suspicion of corrupt practices and manipulation of public contracts at the Regional Museum in Olomouc (Czechia).

Today, the Palermo Office of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) led an operation against a criminal group suspected of smuggling tobacco products of foreign manufacture. The Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza - Comando Provinciale Palermo) arrested 12 suspects and seized 1 speedboat, 7 vehicles, and €16 000 in cash.

Last week (25 November), the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) Munich office conducted 10 searches in Germany, Austria and Slovakia in a case of aggravated customs fraud.

The College of the EPPO has this morning appointed two European Delegated Prosecutors from Slovenia. They have been appointed for a period of 5 years, like all other European Delegated Prosecutors.