A joint operation coordinated by Eurojust led to the arrest of 14 suspects in Italy and Germany, searches were conducted in 40 houses, and it was decided to confiscate assets worth 90 million euros. The Eurojust agency assisted the authorities in establishing a joint investigation team for the case.
The OCG is believed to have illegally purchased around 165,000 tons of scrap iron through a network of iron recycling companies operating inside and outside Italy, then returned the iron to the market or directly to the steel mills, claiming it was imported from Germany. The findings of the investigation show that a German straw company related to the head of the group issued fictitious invoices for the purchases of the scrap iron.
The OCG members funneled money into Italy, including about €70 million in cash withdrawn from German bank accounts. The funds were then transferred between fictitious companies in Germany and other countries, managed by the OCG. The profits were invested in the illegal waste trade or laundered through legitimate activities such as the purchase of a soccer team in Italy.
The scrap metal was never cleaned or returned, despite the false documentation on declarations of conformity or shipping documents. Also, the members of the OCG made use of large quantities of special and dangerous waste, such as tar, the true nature of which was hidden using false certificates.
Read more on the Eurojust website