"They just want to get rich at our expense," denounces the Confédération Paysanne
Source: The DairyNews
The Confédération Paysanne (French farmers' union) has taken on the role of whistleblower in the new Lactalis case, with the Mayenne-based group being suspected of aggravated tax fraud money laundering. The agricultural union is satisfied to finally be heard by the justice system.
The searches conducted within the Lactalis group, in Mayenne and Paris on Tuesday, February 6, come five years after a report by the Confédération Paysanne to the National Financial Prosecutor's Office regarding suspicions of tax evasion.
"A relentless fight against predators of farmers' income value"
These searches, revealed by Le Monde newspaper, took place as part of an investigation opened by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office in 2018, according to a judicial source, for suspicions of aggravated tax fraud money laundering. The Lactalis group is accused of reducing its taxable income in France through a complex financial scheme.
The agricultural union declares relief at finally being heard by justice: "Since 2015, we have been alerting to possible malpractices by Lactalis. We are pleased that all this energy can lead to consideration. These groups do not want to work fairly with farmers; they are here to get rich at our expense. There is both anger and satisfaction in seeing it come out and finally unmasking the true culprits of the agricultural crisis," says Stéphane Galais, one of the leaders of the Confédération Paysanne.
Hundreds of millions of euros hidden from the tax authorities?
Contacted by France Bleu Mayenne, the Lactalis group "confirms that searches took place at its premises" on Tuesday. "They took place calmly and are part of a procedure on old facts already examined by the authorities," explains the world leader in dairy products.
"A relentless fight against predators of farmers' income value"
These searches, revealed by Le Monde newspaper, took place as part of an investigation opened by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office in 2018, according to a judicial source, for suspicions of aggravated tax fraud money laundering. The Lactalis group is accused of reducing its taxable income in France through a complex financial scheme.
The agricultural union declares relief at finally being heard by justice: "Since 2015, we have been alerting to possible malpractices by Lactalis. We are pleased that all this energy can lead to consideration. These groups do not want to work fairly with farmers; they are here to get rich at our expense. There is both anger and satisfaction in seeing it come out and finally unmasking the true culprits of the agricultural crisis," says Stéphane Galais, one of the leaders of the Confédération Paysanne.
Hundreds of millions of euros hidden from the tax authorities?
Contacted by France Bleu Mayenne, the Lactalis group "confirms that searches took place at its premises" on Tuesday. "They took place calmly and are part of a procedure on old facts already examined by the authorities," explains the world leader in dairy products.
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