Fifteen tankers with solvents for gasoline adulteration they found and seized AADE And policefollowing relevant information received and used by Europol.

As indicated in the relevant AADE report, 500,000 liters of solvents for adulteration of gasoline were identified and seized. The Mobile Control Groups of Patras and Igoumenitsa of the Attica Customs Control Service and the Economic Police, at the direction of the coordinating operations center, used information from Europol about a suspicious tanker truck that was transporting solvents to adulterate gasoline.

scheme sought to illegally import into our country 15 of these barrels by sea (Trieste – Patras) and store solvents in tanks in Patras and Schimatario Attica in order to distribute them to illegal sites and filling stations throughout the territory.

Greek authorities they waited for the illegal shipment at their respective entry and destination points and ended up checking and confiscating 15 tankers, in the port of Patras. Solvent samples were sent to the Department of General Chemistry for analysis. At the same time, on behalf of the coordinating center, Financial police went to the above warehouses, where he discovered the presence of illegal tanks. It is noted that the amount of unpaid taxes, which corresponds to and represents a loss of profit for the state, is determined in the amount of 550,000 euros.

AADE and police identified and confiscated 15 tankers.

According to the ADE, in 2022 (in the category of energy carriers – petroleum products), 3,674 liters of unleaded gasoline, 16,337 liters of diesel fuel, 6,214 liters of blended gasoline and 110,095 liters of solvents were detected and seized. It is noted that AADE has already established a new framework for sanctions, which provides for severe penalties in the form of fines of up to 1,000,000 euros and “locks” that can be up to three months. However, the interest of the new provisions is that now, except for the ADE, all prosecution authorities (from the Ministry of Development and others) can establish violations and immediately impose fines on those involved in the circulation of counterfeit fuel, and generally detect fuel smuggling. .

According to the bill, any customs service, as well as any other controlling or prosecuting authority, can henceforth impose a “block” for a period of 10 to 90 days against businesses involved in the trade and handling of counterfeit fuel. If the fact of smuggling is established, “locks” are imposed independently of other criminal and administrative sanctions.

While the measures that have been taken recently to curb smuggling are many, the results are meager, as shrewd people constantly find escape routes. Indicative of the current situation and the indifference and arrogance of smugglers is the example of Oina, where a gas station was discovered that had been operating since 2010 without a license, without an input-output system, without receipts. As a result, after a multi-million dollar turnover, a fine of 150,000 euros was imposed. To deal with such cases, financial staff takes additional measures. In particular, the new framework provides for fines ranging from 1,000 to 500,000 euros. For example, if an integrated monitoring system is not installed and the input-output data are sent electronically, a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 euros is imposed. In case of repeated violation within three years, the fine is doubled.

Also, upon detection of an act of smuggling, which is confirmed after the study of the sample by the State General Chemistry, the object is sealed for a period of 10 to 90 days, depending on the severity of the violation.