Seizure of Counterfeit Goods Worth 10 Billion Tenge and Creation of 10 Sham Corporations: Customs Control in Almaty Stops Smuggled Items from China
Smuggling Scheme Uncovered in Almaty: LLP "Group of Companies TDA" Accused of Issuing Fake Invoices
In a significant crackdown on large-scale smuggling and fraud, the Almaty Department of the Financial Police has established an illegal importation of over 100 containers of consumer goods into Kazakhstan. The LLP "Group of Companies TDA," an authorized economic operator, has been accused in a criminal case for their involvement in this smuggling operation and the issuance of fake invoices on a massive scale.
The LLP "Group of Companies TDA" allegedly used a network of 10 affiliated LLPs to issue fictitious invoices, facilitating tax evasion and customs duty avoidance. This illegal activity resulted in financial losses estimated at nearly $19 million (10 billion tenge) due to unpaid VAT, corporate income tax, and customs duties.
During the investigation, authorities seized goods worth 1.3 billion tenge and recovered 643 million tenge in assets. They also confiscated properties belonging to the suspects, including land plots, vehicles, buggies, and mobile tents valued at about 300 million tenge.
The Almaty District Court sentenced those convicted to prison terms ranging from 1.4 to 4.6 years, with full confiscation of assets. One suspect remains at large and has been put on the international wanted list.
Forty-seven enterprises - partners of the Association - voluntarily settled accounts and paid taxes totaling 240 million tenge. This case represents a significant step in Kazakhstan’s efforts to combat smuggling and fraud involving fake invoices intended to mask illegal imports and tax evasion.
[1] Source: Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency
The illegal activities of LLP "Group of Companies TDA" in Almaty extend beyond the smuggling operation and fake invoices, with allegations of tax evasion and customs duty avoidance in the finance industry being a key concern for the general news. Furthermore, the case is also linked to crime and justice, as the involvement of numerous affiliated LLPs has led to significant financial losses and prison sentences for the convicts.
