Athens, 25 January 2023
PRESSRELEASE
ΙΑPR: Seizure of
24.2 mil. of contraband cigarettes-At 5.9 million euros the corresponding
duties and taxes
Twenty-four
million two hundred and twenty thousand (24,220,000) pieces of contraband
cigarettes, as well as production and packaging machines, were traced and
seized after an inspection of three containers at the port of Piraeus.
Specifically,
the customs officers of the Third Customs Office of Piraeus, using the X-RAY
system and the assistance of a tobacco detector dog, after a local risk
analysis, identified and seized three containers as contraband items.
The
first originating from China, was unloaded at the port of Piraeus. The final
recipient company was based in Athens and the content was declaredas "machines
and packaging for wrapping or packing goods". During the inspection,
however, the inspectors found that it actually contained a full production line
and a cigarette packing machine, which was seized.
The second container was located by
customs officers of the Anti-Smuggling Department of the Third Customs Services of Piraeus in cooperation with SDOE, after
utilizing intelligence from SEK. Its country of origin was the United Arab
Emirates and its final destination was Egypt. 14,980,000 pieces of contraband
cigarettes were found inside,and seized, the corresponding duties and taxes
amounting to 3,172,427.16 euros.
Finally,
following intelligence from SEK, officers of the Anti-Smuggling Department of
the 3rd Customs Services of Piraeus, with the assistance of the Coast Guard,
proceeded to the inspection and the retaining of a third
container. Its country of origin was China and the destination Bulgaria.
Inside, 10,584 pcs of men's underwear were found in the first two loading rows.However,
the underwear was used as a means of concealing 9,240,000 pcs of contraband
cigarettes found in the remaining loading lines. The corresponding duties and
taxes on contraband cigarettes amount to 2,752,331.74 euros.
