Organized crime acts in the trade of oil products to launder money
Source: Paraíba Online, 16/12/2008
The complaint is by the executive vice president of the National Union of Fuel and Lubricant Distribution Companies (Sindicom), Alisio Vaz. He estimated the country's losses from tax collection as a result of the frauds at around R $ 1 billion.
In the assessment of Aloisio Vaz, at least ¼ of the alcohol sold in the country presents some problem of tax evasion, which harms the entrepreneurs who work within the Law. “Even organized crime is beginning to operate in the sector for money laundering. It is a kind of upgrade - modernization of the bandits - mainly in São Paulo ”, he said.
The executive vice president of Sindicom also informed that the entity, government agencies and the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) have been carrying out actions to combat this type of fraud with positive results. Alisio Vaz mentioned the adoption of the mandatory Electronic Invoice (NFe), which enhances control in the movement of fuels and inhibits fraud.
The statements by the Executive Vice President of Sindicom were given today (16), during a press interview, when presenting the balance of the sector's activities this year. The data presented indicate that sales of derivatives from companies linked to Sindicom will reach a record 2008 billion liters in 76,3, with a 7,1% growth over the volume sold in 2007.
According to Alisio Vaz, the sale of fuel alcohol should reach 7,1 billion liters this year, only from companies associated with Sindicom, which account for 49,5% of the country's total market.
Added to the volume sold by the market as a whole, the sale of alcohol is expected to total 13,1 billion liters, even exceeding the record of 1990, before the decline of pro-alcohol, when the volume sold reached 11,1 billion of liters sold.
According to the union, total market sales will total 96,1 billion liters, an increase of 8,8% over the 2007 result.
“The advent of the flex car [which now accounts for 90% of sales in the country] led to such a sharp growth in the ethanol market that it also dragged the underground market,” said Aloisio Vaz.
