A criminal organization, whose members were active in the manufacture, standardization and distribution of distorted oils in Greece and European Union countries, has been dismantled by the Northern Crime Department.

For the deconstruction of the criminal organization, at noon on Monday, April 14, 2025, in a warehouse in its area ThessalonikiPolice Operation from Police Officers of the Department of Financial Crimes, with the assistance of police officers of the Department of Information and Special Actions and the Drug Enforcement Department of the above Service, as well as EFET officials.

In this context, they were identified and 5 members of the criminal organization were arrestedwhile another 2 were identified, accused of- as a case-by-case- setting up a criminal organization, forgery, fraud and for breach of laws on the regulation of the market for products and the implementation of EU and national legislation in the fields of food, feed and health and animal protection.

How did the oil be distorted

In terms of how modus operandi, the members of the organization had installed and operated in the above warehouse, at least since the beginning of January 2025, Lab.

In that workshop they carried sunflower oilwhere they were temporarily stored and using pigment and aromatic substances, They created the finished product in such a way as to resemble olive oil.

They then placed it in plastic and metal containersas an excellent virgin olive oil, with names of origin of Greece, known for the production of olive oil and sold it in Greece, but also in European Union countries.

In fact, in order to mislead consumers, the members of the organization had arranged for the standardization of oil containers that brought Printed Union signals for the designation of origin (PDO), as well as national marks for geographical indication products (BC), which are granted only to certified businesses.

In addition, the containers show false qualitative characteristics of “olive oil”, as well as quality awards, both in Greek and other languages, thus seeking the misleading large number of consumers and gaining illegal economic benefits.

From the survey conducted in the warehouse, among other things, they found and seized:

  • 16.990 liters of oil, of which -9.995 -liters were standardized in containers that recorded “excellent virgin olive oil”,
  • 536 blank metal oil containers,
  • 4 containers with pigments and aromatic substances,
  • Numerous sticker labels with the labeling “Excellent Virgin Olive Oil”,
  • multitude of cartons,
  • multitude of shoes,
  • pallet,
  • Various accessories, necessary for the disruption of oils,
  • IXE car, van type, which was used to carry raw materials to the laboratory and
  • The amount of € -1,780 -euro.

It is noted that the leader of the criminal organization has previously been concerned as key In a case of manufacturing and trafficking of adulterated oils where he had been identified in his home laboratory fraud and a large amount of oils had been seized.

To continue its action and to make it difficult to identify it, he chose an area of ​​storage site with a large number of buildings of similar use, and to cover his traces he did not hire the warehouse himself, but used a other defendant as the only partner and manager.

Olive oil

Indeed, it was found that this company never worked, and was founded two days before the date of lease of the warehouse in December 2024.

From their action, members of the criminal organization allegedly have gained an illegal benefit that exceeds the 135,000 euros.

The detainees, with the case file formed against them, were led to the competent prosecutor’s office, while specimens of the seized oils will be sent to the competent chemical service for laboratory examination.

It is worth noting that from the Department of Financial Crimes of the Organized Crime of Northern Greece, in the context of actions to combat the phenomenon of manufacturing and trafficking of distorted oils, from November 2024 to and in February 2025, 4 criminal organizations were abducted, which were active in this area, and arrested 12 people, with the total number of defendants being 19 people.

These criminal organizations were found to be operating in a particular settlement, where, during the operations, 3 deprivation laboratories and 2 storage spaces were found, and a total of 23,055 liters of oils and 2,517 empty containers seized.