15/10/20
By the use of relevant intelligence received from
the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) regarding groups of people who were going
to import illegal tobacco products through the Athens International Airport,
SEK acted immediately through the Customs of El. Venizelos Airport resulting in
the arrest of five (05) foreigners of Ukrainian origin.
Specifically, on 8/10/2019,
one (01) Ukrainian national was arrested and the following items were seized:
45 cartons of cigarettes (9,000 pieces)
2.55 kg of waterpipe tobacco and
1.95 kg of fine cut tobacco
without stamped films of the
Hellenic Republic.
In another inspection
carried out in the context of the above intelligence on 14/10/2019, four (04)
more foreigners of Ukrainian origin were arrested and 635 cartons of cigarettes
(127,000 pieces) were seized.
The above-mentioned offences
would result in evading excise duty and, thus, losing revenue for the state.
It is estimated that the
corresponding duties and taxes from the seized quantity of tobacco amount to a
total of thirty thousand euros (30,000€)
