In the early hours of a Tuesday morning, the Economic Crime Team of the Civil Guard announced the culmination of a coordinated operation named Memorable. The inquiry centers on a criminal group accused of fraudulently evading taxes through the sale of hydrocarbons. Prosecutors allege that the group defrauded approximately 140 million euros in VAT across fiscal years from 2019 to 2024. Authorities conducted ten searches of private residences and six searches of businesses, with eight of the searches taking place in Seville and the others scattered across successive raids in the broader region.
Investigators have confirmed that several actions related to the case occurred across multiple locations in Andalusia and Catalonia, extending to Seville, Málaga, Marbella, Algeciras, Jerez de la Frontera, Granada, Barcelona, and Tarragona. The operation was executed in collaboration with the Andalusian Department of Tax Inspection, part of the national tax administration, to ensure a thorough and cross-jurisdictional probe.
Officials indicate that the organization faces additional charges, including money laundering for introducing the profits obtained through the fraud into the legal financial system. According to confidential briefings, the illicit gains enabled the group to acquire a range of assets and enterprises. These included businesses in the hotel and hospitality sectors, healthcare facilities, and retail food outlets, alongside high-end vehicles and maritime vessels. The strategic acquisition of legitimate assets appears designed to legitimize funds and create a façade of standard corporate profitability.
Several sources close to the investigation emphasize that the alleged scheme involved exploiting gaps in the regulatory framework surrounding fuel sales and VAT reporting. By manipulating invoicing, storage, and distribution records, the network is said to have created misleading accounts that obscured the true flow of goods and value added tax obligations. The authorities stress that the operation demonstrates the ongoing risk of organized crime integrating illicit proceeds into ordinary market channels, a pattern that complicates financial oversight but also triggers enhanced scrutiny from tax and customs authorities.
The ongoing investigation continues to map the full extent of the network, including supply chains, beneficiary structures, and the breadth of shell companies used to veil the real ownership and control of key assets. Law enforcement officials note that the case reflects a broader trend in which criminal groups attempt to blend into the legitimate economy, expanding into varied sectors such as hospitality, healthcare, food service, and consumer retail, while channeling illicit funds through complex corporate layers. While the precise number of participants remains under review, authorities indicate that several individuals are currently under investigation and may face multiple charges related to fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.