Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper): In January 2023, customs raided Dalga-Trans in Genk, finding 1.6 million liters of fake fuel. The main organizer got 5 years in prison and a €9.9 million fine. Four others received 1 to 3 years in prison and fines of up to €9.8 million. This followed the manager’s earlier conviction in 2018 for avoiding taxes.
An investigation into fuel fraud began in February 2021 after authorities received a tip about suspicious activities at Dalga-Trans, a transport company in Genk. Over a year, they discovered that at least 10 vehicles were using “designer fuel,” a mixture of lubricating oil and diesel, to avoid high taxes on diesel. It has been said that this illegal practice saves money and poses risks to engines and the environment. The investigation linked the company’s fuel supply to this altered fuel, highlighting a larger issue of fuel fraud in the transport industry, with potential legal consequences ahead.
How Did Dalga-Trans evade €2.6M in taxes with fake fuel?
In January 2023, customs officials raided Dalga-Trans after a Polish truck delivered fuel. They found that the company sent more than 1.6 million liters of fake fuel to different petrol stations, helping them avoid paying 2.6 million euros in taxes. The main person in charge was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 9.9 million euros, while four others received jail time of one to three years and fines ranging from 4.9 million to 9.8 million euros.
This isn’t the first time the Dalga-Trans manager has had customs problems. In 2018, the Dalga-Trans manager was given a two-year prison sentence and fined 6.8 million euros for trying to avoid paying taxes. The judge pointed out his past issues and said the defendants are stubborn and ignore the law.
