Serbian Police Swoop on 16 For Money Laundering and Tax Fraud Sixteen people were arrested in Serbia on charges of money laundering, tax evasion, illegal trade, falsification of trade documents, and abuse of office. An additional 14 people have been named in the indictment, while three of these suspects are still at large. The Serbian Police Directorate conducted the investigation and the arrests in cooperation with the Tax Department and the Chief Prosecutor’s Office. According to the indictment, between Feb. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2010, the suspects hired people to pose as owners of “laundering companies,” and falsified documents about merchandise and services allegedly provided by these companies. The forms referred to fake business deals between the “laundering” companies, with a cash flow of nearly US$1 million. The money was later transferred from the front companies to bank accounts connected to the agricultural estates of seven of the suspects. They then withdrew money sometimes under the guise of business expenses. They would return the cash to the original financial backers. In this manner the suspects acquired nearly US$1 million and evaded some US$360,000 in taxes.