R$ 90 Million Scheme: Operation Targets Illegal Trade in Foreign Goods in Minas Gerais
- Mar 23
- 2 min read
A logistics center in São José da Lapa supplied goods for sales without invoices on online platforms, according to an investigation
A clandestine scheme involving the sale of foreign goods, valued at R$ 90 million, was the target of a joint operation by the State Revenue Service and the Federal Revenue Service on Monday (23) in São José da Lapa, in the Greater Belo Horizonte area. The operation focused on a logistics center that, according to investigations, stored and distributed untaxed products, sold primarily through e-commerce platforms.
According to the agencies, the warehouses served as a hub for receiving goods—many of them from China—without paying taxes such as ICMS, IPI, and federal taxes.
Organized structure
The site targeted by the operation consists of three industrial warehouses that operated as an integrated unit. Two were used for the storage and distribution of products without tax documentation, while the third was used for the reconditioning and direct sale of items, including defective ones.
According to tax auditor Júlio Marcelo, coordinator of the State Revenue’s Digital Audit Laboratory, the structure was set up to make it difficult for authorities to identify it. “The operation aims to dismantle an organization focused on the sale of irregular goods originating from China,” he stated.
Online sales, millions in losses, and shell companies
Investigations indicate that the group generated approximately R$ 500,000 per day in sales on digital platforms without properly paying taxes.
The scheme also involved setting up companies using “tax straw men.” These companies were established, initially operated while paying taxes regularly, and then began to withhold information, accumulate debts, and shut down their operations in an irregular manner.
Action and Next Steps
During the operation, auditors seized digital data, conducted an inventory count, and analyzed financial transactions. The material will be used to further the investigations and calculate the exact amount of taxes owed.
Those responsible may be held legally liable for the evaded amounts, plus fines and interest.
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