In Málaga, the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency have carried out operation "Vatoil-Visco", resulting in the arrest of six people and the investigation of eight more, all part of a criminal organization dedicated to the distribution and sale of hydrocarbons without fiscal control.
The detainees are accused of defrauding over two million euros from the Tax Authority in the last year. The investigation began after detecting suspicious movements in several companies operating in the fuel sector, without passing on the corresponding taxes.
Details of the operation
The organization used a network of companies to buy and distribute fuel, complementing it with altered documentation to appear legal and hide the origin of their profits. In 2025, it is estimated that the organization failed to pay approximately 400,000 euros in VAT and more than 1,800,000 euros in Special Tax on Hydrocarbons.
A large operation was carried out in collaboration with various units of the Civil Guard and the Customs Surveillance Service. In total, six searches were conducted in the province of Murcia, where five people were arrested simultaneously, and a sixth suspect was arrested the following day.
Interventions carried out
During the searches, authorities seized five high-end vehicles, approximately 9,000 euros in cash, and relevant documentation for the investigation. Additionally, three deposits containing 86,000 litres of fuel were sealed, as well as the pumps of three service stations located in Villajoyosa, Miguelturra, and Linares. More than 60 bank accounts linked to the organization have been blocked as part of preventive measures.
The detainees are charged with belonging to a criminal organization and, depending on their level of involvement, crimes against the Tax Authority, against consumers, document forgery, fraud, and money laundering. All have been presented before the Instruction Section of the Orihuela Court, where one has been sent to prison while the others have been released under precautionary measures.
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