The Israel Tax Authority has filed with the Rishon LeZion Magistrates Court an indictment against swimsuit maker Gottex Models Ltd. and two of its officers for evading NIS 6 million in import duties. The officers are Meir Goer, a director who was formerly a VP and deputy CEO, and import and export procurement manager Eti Levy.
The indictment states that, in 2003-06, Gottex imported swimwear from factories in Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria. The cloth was bought in other countries and sent to the factories. Under Israel's trade agreements with the three countries, swimwear is exempt from customs if it manufactured from cloth produced in the exporting country.
The Tax Authority claims that Gottex obtained false statements from the factories that the goods were produced in the exporting countries, and that the company filed these reports with the Tax Authority.
Gottex is a subsidiary of Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL; Pink Sheets:AFIVY).
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 6, 2009
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