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Historic Customs Operation in Piraeus Port
In what is being described as the largest customs seizure in European Union history, authorities have confiscated 2,435 shipping containers at the Port of Piraeus, Greece. The massive operation, conducted by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), uncovered a sophisticated criminal network that had been evading customs duties and VAT on goods imported from China for nearly a decade.
Massive Financial Scale
The seized containers contained electric bicycles, clothing, and shoes with an estimated total value exceeding €250 million. According to EPPO officials, at least 360 containers filled with e-bikes had not been declared at the port. 'This represents the most significant blow to customs fraud networks in EU history,' stated a senior EPPO investigator who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Criminal Network Structure
Six individuals have been arrested, including two customs officials suspected of repeatedly falsifying import certificates and complicity in customs fraud. The remaining four customs employees face charges of multiple customs fraud offenses and incitement to certificate forgery. The criminal networks are believed to be primarily operated by Chinese nationals who may also be involved in money laundering and profit repatriation to China.
Operation Calypso Investigation
The EPPO's Operation Calypso has been targeting criminal networks that manage the entire goods transport chain from China to Europe while evading import duties. The investigation focuses on all links in the product distribution chain across Europe. In June, during a large-scale raid in four countries, the first 500 containers were seized in the Greek port, and ten suspects were arrested.
European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi emphasized the significance of the operation: 'Criminal networks have specialized for years in this type of fraud that causes enormous damage to the European economy. Calypso sends these criminals a simple message: the rules have changed, no more safe harbors for you!'
Financial Impact and Ongoing Investigation
The network is believed to have been active for eight years, with total damage to the EU estimated by the EPPO at at least €350 million in customs duties and €450 million in VAT. The investigation continues as authorities examine the contents of all seized containers, with only a limited number opened so far.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office, established in 2021 and based in Luxembourg, is an independent prosecution body of the European Union with jurisdiction over criminal offenses that harm the EU budget, including fraud, corruption, money laundering, embezzlement, and serious cross-border VAT fraud.
