Italian Police Raid Amazon Sites Over Chinese Smuggling and Tax Fraud Allegations

Italian Police Raid Amazon Sites in Chinese Smuggling Probe

Italian tax and customs police carried out major raids at two Amazon facilities on 24 November 2025, as part of a widening investigation into the smuggling of Chinese goods and a suspected €1.2 billion tax fraud network. The high-profile operation has raised serious concerns about customs loopholes, online marketplaces, and the growing role of e-commerce platforms in facilitating cross-border trade violations.

The raids took place at Amazon’s logistics hub in Cividate al Piano near Bergamo and at Amazon’s main corporate offices in Milan. During the operation, authorities seized around 5,000 Chinese-made products, including toys, mobile phone cases, air fryers, stationery items, and home electronics. Investigators say these goods entered the European Union without proper customs checks, VAT payments, or regulatory compliance.

According to investigative sources, Amazon’s platform may have been used as a “Trojan horse” to help Chinese sellers bypass EU customs and tax rules. Officials believe that the products were shipped using channels that intentionally avoided VAT declarations and customs duties, allowing sellers to offer cheaper prices while evading European tax laws. Authorities say the network behind these operations includes several Chinese-controlled companies and front businesses operating across Italy and other EU countries.

Prosecutors involved in the case report that this investigation is directly linked to a larger €1.2 billion tax evasion scheme suspected of operating across Europe. The European agency Eurojust has already joined the probe, confirming that the case has implications far beyond Italy and may involve coordinated smuggling routes used by suppliers in multiple countries.

Investigators also warn that the system exploited Amazon’s marketplace structure, where third-party sellers are responsible for providing accurate customs information. They allege that this loophole allowed large volumes of undeclared goods to flow into EU markets without being flagged by tax authorities.

Amazon has not issued a detailed public response, but company sources state that Amazon fully complies with all legal requirements and is cooperating with investigators. The company insists it enforces strict tax and customs compliance policies for all sellers and will act against any partner found violating European laws.

The raids have sparked discussions within the European Union about the need for stricter oversight of digital marketplaces. Experts say the case highlights massive vulnerabilities in the global e-commerce supply chain, where millions of small shipments can bypass traditional customs systems. Regulators may now push for tougher EU-wide rules, mandatory real-time customs reporting, and increased surveillance of goods shipped from China.

If the allegations are proven, Amazon could face legal penalties, financial sanctions, and greater regulatory pressure in multiple EU states. More broadly, the findings could reshape Europe’s approach to monitoring Chinese imports and enforcing tax compliance across online platforms.

As the investigation continues to expand, it marks one of the most significant enforcement actions involving an international technology company in Europe — and signals that global e-commerce giants may soon face far stricter controls than ever before.