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Amazon sites in Italy raided by police in China smuggling probe, sources say

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Amazon sites in Italy raided by police in China smuggling probe, sources say


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Reuters

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November 24, 2025

Italian police carried out searches and seizures at two Amazon sites in Italy on Monday as part of an investigation into the alleged smuggling of Chinese goods, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Amazon logo is seen in this illustration created on February 11, 2025 – REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Dozens of officers from the Guardia di Finanza tax police and the customs agency seized around 5,000 products at a logistics hub operated by the e-commerce giant in Cividate al Piano, in the northern province of Bergamo, the sources said.

At Amazon’s Italian headquarters in central Milan, police seized IT equipment and identified the Amazon manager responsible for the transportation of goods within Italy, the sources added. Amazon in Italy was not immediately available for comment.

Italian prosecutors allege that Amazon acts as a kind of “Trojan horse” allowing an as yet unknown number of Chinese goods to circulate in Italy without being appropriately taxed, a court document showed on Monday.

Among the products seized at the Bergamo centre were toys, mobile phone covers, air fryers, pens and small scissors. It was not immediately clear what impact the two operations would have on Amazon’s activities in Italy.

The smuggling probe is a new line of inquiry stemming from an investigation into an alleged 1.2 billion euro tax evasion case.
The new case, led by Milan prosecutors together with the Monza branch of the Guardia di Finanza, alleges smuggling offences by dozens of Italian companies, many of which are believed to be fronts for Chinese entities, and the manager in charge of the movement of goods via Amazon.

Prosecutors suspect that goods are being brought from China into the European Union, and then into Italy, through currently unknown channels, without sales taxes or customs duties being paid. The products are then allegedly moved and sold in Italy via Amazon’s marketplace. Milan prosecutors are investigating both suspected smuggling and violations of the EU customs code.

Since last summer, two other ongoing operations have proceeded with Amazon’s cooperation due to the complexity of managing goods flows in the e-commerce giant’s logistics hubs. Three people with direct knowledge of the matter said the number of products involved could total half a million, with the probe expected to be extended to the rest of the European Union.

Milan prosecutors were summoned to The Hague headquarters of the EU agency for criminal justice cooperation Eurojust in July, where they presented the scope of their investigation to counterparts from several EU countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, and Ireland.

Disputes over customs duties and sales taxes have fuelled growing tensions with the United States over the past year, but it is unclear how this case involving China will be viewed in Washington and Brussels.

In the original 1.2 billion euro tax evasion case, Milan prosecutors investigated three managers and Amazon’s Luxembourg-based European unit over alleged tax fraud related to online sales in Italy between 2019 and 2021. According to the probe, Amazon’s algorithm allows it to sell in Italy goods from non-EU sources, mostly Chinese, without disclosing their identity, helping them avoid paying Italian sales taxes.

Under Italian law, an intermediary offering goods for sale in Italy is jointly liable for non-payment of sales taxes by non-EU sellers using its e-commerce platform. Amazon said in a previous statement that it was “committed to complying with all applicable tax laws.”

In relation to that case, Italy’s tax agency has submitted a settlement proposal to Amazon on which the US group must decide by December. Amazon’s tax position has also been investigated by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which has opened its probe into its accounts between 2021 and 2024 after new EU rules imposing stricter VAT obligations on marketplaces came into force.

© Thomson Reuters 2025 All rights reserved.



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Chanel debuts A$AP Rocky as ambassador, with Margaret Qualley teaser video

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Chanel debuts A$AP Rocky as ambassador, with Margaret Qualley teaser video


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November 30, 2025

Chanel has appointed A$AP Rocky as a new brand ambassador and debuted his tenure with a teaser video shot in New York co-starring Margaret Qualley.

Courtesy

The video appeared Sunday just 48 hours before Chanel’s couturier Michel Blazy will stage his debut collection of Métiers d’Art also in New York. It’s a unique line first created by Karl Lagerfeld that highlights the unique stable of artisans Chanel has assembled in such skills as embroidery, pleating, glove-making and costume jewelry.
 
Directed by Michel Gondry, the 2.49-minute short opens with the stars waking up in the bed of a walkup apartment in Williamsburg. Where, after a quick peck on her lover’s forehead, Qualley disappears into a tiny bathroom, before magically changing out of her blue nightie and reappearing in a red, white and blue houndstooth Chanel jacket, paired with pale blue pants, her hair in a chignon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=live

Chanel

No sooner than she has disappeared, than A$AP leaps out of bed and descends the tenement building’s outside steel stairs and sets off on a mad dash after Qualley. This leads to him swimming under the Brooklyn Bridge, and running north through the Lower East Side, before finally catching up with Qualley at Astor Place station. All the action backed up my moody ambient music courtesy of Le Motel.
 
In between, the rapper and husband of Rihanna, manages to find time to stop in two discount stores to acquire pants and a blazer. Arriving just in time, to genuflect onto one knee, and hold out a small white Chanel box, containing one assumes a diamond engagement ring, at the station entrance. The sight of which leads the actress to leap into the air in paroxysm of joy, before the happy couple march arm and arm back into the subway.
 
And off one assumes to attend the Métiers d’Art show, which will be revealed on Tuesday, 8 p.m. NYC time.
 

Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.



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Canada’s Lululemon revamps commercial strategy with new global leader

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Canada’s Lululemon revamps commercial strategy with new global leader



lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) announced that Celeste Burgoyne, President of the Americas and Global Guest Innovation, has decided to leave the company for a new opportunity outside of the industry. She will remain with lululemon until the end of December 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.

Ms. Burgoyne joined lululemon in 2006 and became the company’s first President in 2020. Throughout her tenure, she has assumed roles of increasing responsibility and led the North America business through periods of rapid growth and expansion.

Lululemon Athletica has announced that Celeste Burgoyne, president of the Americas and global guest innovation, will leave at the end of December 2025 after 19 years with the brand.
The company will consolidate regional leadership and has appointed André Maestrini as president and chief commercial officer, giving him global oversight of stores, regions, digital channels and commercial strategy.

“We are grateful for Celeste’s leadership and significant contributions to lululemon’s business and culture over the past 19 years. She has been instrumental in growing our footprint in the Americas, creating high-quality guest experiences, and mentoring our teams across the organization,” said Calvin McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, lululemon. “I deeply appreciate her partnership and friendship, and we wish her all the best in the future.”

“My time at lululemon has been both inspiring and rewarding beyond belief,” said Ms. Burgoyne. “I am so proud of what we have accomplished as an organization since I joined in 2006 and know the team will take the company to even greater heights in the years to come. I look forward to continuing to support the brand as a lifelong fan.”

In conjunction with this announcement, lululemon has made the decision to consolidate regional leadership across the company and appoint André Maestrini as President and Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Maestrini will continue to report directly to Mr. McDonald.

In this newly created role, Mr. Maestrini will provide integrated oversight of all of lululemon’s regions, stores, and digital channels globally. He will also oversee lululemon’s global commercial strategy with a focus on continued market expansion, revenue generation, and accelerating best practice sharing, across all regions including North America.

Mr. Maestrini joined lululemon in 2021 as Executive Vice President of International. In his current role, he has overseen lululemon’s operations in EMEA, APAC, and China Mainland, and has helped to more than quadruple lululemon’s international revenues.

“André has demonstrated a proven ability to unlock opportunities, advance our global expansion, and deliver growth across multiple markets,” said Mr. McDonald. “Leveraging operational discipline, deep guest insights, and extensive brand-building experience, André is the ideal person to lead our business across all markets, including North America, as we remain focused on delivering value for our guests, employees, and shareholders.”

Before joining lululemon, Mr. Maestrini spent 14 years at adidas in various senior roles across the globe. During this time, he served in a number of General Manager positions where he helped grow the company’s global sports categories and regional markets. Prior to adidas, Mr. Maestrini held marketing roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, and Kraft Jacobs Suchard.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)



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India’s growth expected to be robust despite external headwinds: IMF

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India’s growth expected to be robust despite external headwinds: IMF



Despite external headwinds, India’s economic growth is expected to remain robust, supported by favourable domestic conditions, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), whose executive board recently completed the Article IV Consultation for the country.

Under the baseline assumption of prolonged 50-per cent US tariffs, India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow at 6.6 per cent in fiscal 2025-26 (FY26) before moderating to 6.2 per cent in FY27, the IMF said.

The reform of the goods and services tax (GST) and the resulting reduction in the effective rate are expected to help cushion the adverse impact of tariffs.

Despite external headwinds, India’s growth is expected to be robust, backed by favourable domestic conditions, the IMF has said.
Assuming prolonged 50-per cent US tariffs, FY26 real GDP may grow at 6.6 per cent before moderating to 6.2 per cent in FY27.
Further deepening of geo-economic fragmentation could lead to tighter financial conditions, higher input costs and lower trade, FDI and economic growth.

Headline inflation is projected to remain well contained, reflecting the one-off effect of the GST reform and continued benign food prices, it remarked in a release.

Looking ahead, India’s ambition to become an advanced economy can be supported by advancing comprehensive structural reforms that enable higher potential growth, the IMF noted.

There are significant near-term risks to the economic outlook. On the upside, the conclusion of new trade agreements and faster implementation of structural reform domestically could boost exports, private investment and employment.

On the downside, further deepening of geo-economic fragmentation could lead to tighter financial conditions, higher input costs and lower trade, foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth.

Unpredictable weather shocks could affect crop yields, adversely impact rural consumption and reignite inflationary pressures, the IMF added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)



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