Brussels, 14/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) published its Activity Report on 13 July covering the period from 1 July 2004 to 31 December 2005. At the end of 2005, OLAF was investigating 452 cases. During 2005, 226 additional cases were being assessed and 233 were settled. In 2005, OLAF recovered a total of €203 million in Community funds lost through fraud or irregularities, which represents the highest yearly amount recovered so far. The OLAF report gives examples of cases on which light has been shed such as the sum of €2.3 million illegally diverged from a drinking water project in South America, over €18 million in anti-dumping duties for Asian TV sets fraudulently evaded, €300,000 embezzled from a European Commission delegation's account in Africa. OLAF investigated a total of 57 internal cases at the end of 2005, concerning irregularities within the European institutions themselves (not to mention 30 cases more submitted for analysis). OLAF states it has opened 24 cases in the new Member States and 23 in the candidate countries.