Press release no. 11/2026
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The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has played an important role in supporting the operation code-named Coal of the Alps (Carbone delle Alpi), which uncovered a complex cross-border scheme involving systemic circumvention of EU’s waste legislation. The case exposed a sophisticated criminal network active in Italy, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Serbia and Switzerland. It was led by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Trento, and coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate and in close cooperation with Carabinieri – in particular Nucleo Operativo Ecologico di Trento, other Italian authorities, Europol, Eurojust and national authorities across Member States.
OLAF’s analytical work and information-sharing were instrumental in mapping cross-border flows of pyro-gasification ashes and derived products. These were placed on the EU…
This involves defrauding the state or using government systems to steal from individuals.
- Tax Identity Theft: A criminal uses your ID and income details to file a tax return in your name and claim a refund before you do.
- Grant/Benefit Fraud: Falsely claiming unemployment, disability, or social grants that the perpetrator is not entitled to.