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Italian Tax and Customs Police Search Two Amazon Sites, Seize About 5,000 Items in Probe of Alleged Chinese Goods Smuggling

09:14 PM, 11/24/2025
Italian Tax and Customs Police Search Two Amazon Sites, Seize About 5,000 Items in Probe of Alleged Chinese Goods Smuggling

Italian tax and customs officers searched two Amazon facilities and seized about 5,000 items at a Bergamo logistics hub while seizing IT equipment at Amazon's Milan offices. Prosecutors allege the operation is linked to an alleged €1.2 billion tax-evasion probe and say Amazon may have been used as a "Trojan horse" to circulate Chinese-made goods in Italy without paying required taxes and duties. The inquiry, led by Milan prosecutors with the Monza Guardia di Finanza, targets dozens of Italian companies and an Amazon manager for suspected smuggling and breaches of the EU customs code.

Italian tax and customs authorities carried out searches and seizures at two Amazon facilities on Monday as part of an investigation into the alleged importation and sale of Chinese-made goods without proper taxes or duties, sources with direct knowledge said.

Dozens of officers from the Guardia di Finanza and the customs agency removed roughly 5,000 items from a logistics hub operated by Amazon in Cividate al Piano, in the northern province of Bergamo. At Amazon's Italian headquarters in central Milan, investigators seized IT equipment and identified the manager responsible for coordinating the movement of goods within Italy, the sources added.

Items seized included toys, mobile-phone covers, air fryers, pens and small scissors. Authorities say these goods are suspected of being routed into Italy from China via unreported channels that bypass sales taxes and customs duties, and then offered for sale through Amazon's marketplace.

Prosecutors allege Amazon has acted as a kind of "Trojan horse," allowing an as-yet undetermined volume of Chinese-made products to circulate in Italy without the correct taxes being paid.

The inquiries form a new strand of a broader investigation into an alleged €1.2 billion tax-evasion scheme. The probe, led by Milan prosecutors together with the Monza branch of the Guardia di Finanza, targets dozens of Italian companies — many of which are suspected to be fronts for Chinese entities — and the manager overseeing movement of goods via Amazon for suspected smuggling offences.

Prosecutors said they are investigating both suspected smuggling and potential breaches of the EU customs code. It was not immediately clear what effect the operations would have on Amazon's day-to-day activities in Italy. Amazon's Italian operations did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to trace the supply chains and determine whether broader compliance or criminal issues are involved.

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