A MAN HAS been arrested as part of a Garda crackdown on a crime group’s €29m VAT fraud scheme. 

An investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau into a €29m “VAT carousel” fraud scheme led to the arrest of the man, who is in his 50s, on Tuesday. 

He is now being held at Castlerea Garda Station in Roscommon.

A carousel scheme involves multiple jurisdictions and an alleged movement of goods in a bid to avoid payment of VAT. 

This scheme, which saw funds move through bank accounts linked to companies both in Ireland and across the border, was being managed by a crime gang. 

The Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Revenue are all involved in the investigation. 

Garda are also working with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the UK National Crime Agency and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. 

In September 2017, 15 properties – including homes and commercial premises – were searched across Ireland as part of the investigation, with both digital and documentary evidence seized by Gardaí. 

In May, a woman in her 40s was arrested in Louth as part of the investigation. She was later released without charge. 

A Garda spokesperson said that investigations are ongoing. 

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