Greek customs seize 1,296 illegal refrigerant bottles worth more than €338,000 in lost duties
Greek customs authorities have seized 1,296 bottles of illegally imported refrigerant gas in two separate operations at the Kipoi and Doirani border customs posts, with unpaid duties and taxes exceeding €338,000.
The seizures were carried out by customs officers of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) on August 7 as part of targeted operations against smuggling and measures to protect the environment.
1,000 bottles hidden under plasterboard
At the Kipoi Customs Office, officers conducted a physical inspection of a truck with Turkish registration plates and its trailer following a targeted risk assessment.
The inspection uncovered 1,000 bottles of R404A refrigerant that had been carefully concealed beneath a declared cargo of plasterboard.
The import of the specific refrigerant into the European Union is prohibited.
Authorities estimated the total value of the shipment at €884,400, while the duties and taxes that would have been lost amounted to €283,538.64.
Additional seizure at Doirani
In a separate operation early the same day at the Doirani Customs Office, customs officers inspected an empty container arriving from North Macedonia.
They discovered a specially constructed compartment containing an additional 296 bottles of R134a refrigerant.
The duties and taxes associated with the undeclared shipment were calculated at approximately €55,000.
Authorities seized all of the illegal goods in both cases. The relevant legal procedures have been initiated, while investigations by the competent authorities are continuing.
The operations form part of Greece’s broader efforts to combat customs fraud and the illegal trade of refrigerants, some of which are subject to strict European environmental regulations.
