From the Directorate for Combating Trafficking and Trafficking in People and Goods of the Organized Crime Directorate a criminal organization was dismantled, the members of which were active in the smuggling of alcoholic beverages and subsequent money laundering.

To end their action was carried out by 20 to 21 December 2024in areas of Attica and in Ghoula wide-ranging police operation under the coordination of the Coordination Operations Center in collaboration with customs services, the assistance of the Sub-Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of Northern Greece, the Sub-Directorate for Prosecution and Investigation of Crimes of Lamia, operational teams of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, the Police Department of Heraklion Serres, as well as and her General Directorate of the Economic Crime Prosecution Service.

In the context of the police operation, -12- people, members of the organization, were arrested and a case file was filed against them – as the case may be – for criminal organization, violation of the legislation of the National Customs Code and the prevention and suppression of money laundering from ongoing criminal activities, while additional persons are also included in the file, of which -6- have been identified.

The use of information related to the activity of a criminal organization that participates through companies in commercial transactions (exports-imports) of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages (intra-Community acquisitions/deliveries-exports) was preceded.

The above was brought to the attention of the supervisor of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, Mr. Prosecutor of Appeals of Athens, from where the preliminary examination was ordered.

As it emerged from the investigation, after the implementation of special investigative actions, at least since April 2024, a criminal organization was formed under the direction of 3 persons and the constant participation of 5 more persons who, among other things, acted as legal representatives, partners and managers of virtual entities or with legitimate activity.

In particular, in terms of its mode of action, the members of the criminal organization established 2 domestic companies, which, under the coordination of a legal representative of a company based abroad, were declared as exporters, with the aim of carrying out false, triangular, non-intra-Community transactions of alcoholic beverages with recipients 2 fictitious third country businesses.

In order to achieve their purpose, goods subject to Excise Duty were transported to tax warehouses in White tower and the Ghoul and after their release from the customs office of export, the truck passed with an empty load through the customs office of exit without being checked, so that the export of the goods to the neighboring third country was virtually completed and confirmed by the competent customs service.

Subsequently, instead of the goods being exported in accordance with the submitted declarations, they were picked up from the warehouses by members of the criminal organization and transported using the trailer and towed vehicle mentioned in the export declaration each time to a controlled warehouse in the area of Botanical.

smuggling

Finally, they proceeded to sell the goods and make them available for consumption inside the country without paying customs charges.

From the investigation so far, it has emerged their participation in a total of 12 cases concerning the virtual export of alcoholic beverages, while the total quantity of bottles of alcoholic beverages trafficked during the period of their action amounts to 452,796 bottles of alcoholic beverages.

In searches carried out in areas of Attica in homes, businesses and vehicles, a total of the following were found and confiscated:

  • 43,116 bottles of alcoholic beverages of different brands,
  • the total amount of 122,105 euros,
  • 91 gold pounds and 2 haute horlogerie watches,
  • 4 I.X.E vehicles,
  • tractor, semi-trailer, closed type truck (van),
  • mobile telephone devices, telephone bundles, computers, portable digital data storage media,
  • bank checks, seals of legal entities and
  • company documents, invoices, handwritten notes and other public documents (responsible declarations, insurance policies, letters of guarantee, company statutes, etc.).

It is noted that the corresponding customs charges amount to -3,000,000 euros- at least, as notified by the competent Customs Service.

Those arrested were taken to the competent prosecuting authority.