Source: O Globo Online - Rio de Janeiro / RJ - 10/09/2010

The Globe

RIO - The Federal Revenue Service, together with the Federal Police and the Federal Public Ministry, launched Operation Cone this Friday, to combat fraud in the import of state-of-the-art electronics and computer products. It is estimated that a coup will hit the public coffers by more than R $ 100 million.

Among the goods seized, audio-visual equipment, aircraft parts, bearings, notebooks, cameras and smartphones. Aircraft parts, smartphones and notebooks are among the seized goods. The action takes place in Salvador, Bahia, in the city of São Paulo and Vitória, in Espírito Santo

29 search and seizure warrants are being carried out, at 26 addresses, located in the city of Salvador, with developments in São Paulo and Vitória, with the participation of 56 servers of the Federal Revenue Service and 122 servers of the Federal Police.

The scheme basically consisted of the diversion of goods, promoted by Brazilian owners of companies established in Miami, in the United States, who transacted with companies and individuals in Brazil. The group also practiced under-invoicing in transactions, with the issuance of "cold notes", and using ghost companies to lend the appearance of legality to operations.

According to the IRS, the damage to the State is not restricted to the tax field. In addition to losses to public coffers, there is an incentive to practice “unfair competition”, because these companies are able to place their products on the national market at a more competitive price with legal traders.

This operation is a continuation of Operation Conexão Miami, carried out in June 2006, in Salvador.