SA berry-picking and meat-processing companies raided for evidence of illegal activity THE Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Federal Police have raided 80 South Australian companies to uncover evidence of illegal company activity. As part of a push to uncover phoenix activity - where companies collapse to avoid debts and reincorporate under a similar or same name to continue the business - the tax office has targeted SA's berry-picking and meat-processing sectors. The tax office cannot, by law, identify the targets. Acting second tax commissioner James O'Halloran said the problem of phoenix activity was considerable. "It has previously been estimated that about 6000 phoenix companies operate in Australia, costing government and the community hundreds of millions of dollars per year and impacting on individuals," he said. Phoenix companies deprive employees of their entitlements, and disadvantage honest businesses by under cutting them on prices.