The investigation of the European Prosecutor's Office in 14 countries: imports from China were fraudulently brought to the EU through Greece. Injury of 700 million euros

European prosecutors have discovered an criminal scheme by which Chinese imports were brought with false documents in Europe through the Greek port Piraeus, the damage amounting to about 700 million euros representing customs duties and income from VAT, reports Reuters.

The investigation carried out by the European Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) covers 14 EU countries and involved raids in Greece, Spain, France and Bulgaria, EPPO said in a statement on Thursday, according to News.ro.

According to the European Prosecutor's Office, the scheme involved several criminal networks mainly controlled by Chinese citizens dealing with Chinese imports in the EU, their distribution and sale, as well as money laundering and sending profits back to China. After the goods in China reached the EU, mainly through the port of Piraeus, they were wrongly undervalued or classified to circumvent the customs duties, they were approved by customs agents and sold to companies from other EU states through the scheme meant to avoid VAT payment, EPPO said.

The criminal organizations that are the subject of the investigation produced false transport invoices and documents to hide the real destination of the goods and formed a network of fictitious companies that sold the products at very competitive prices, because the VAT was not paid, and the customs duties and the anti-dumping taxes were largely circumcised.

Arrested customs. Money, weapons and goods – confiscated. Properties and vehicles under seizure

Ten suspects were arrested, including two customs officers, during over 100 searches carried out on Wednesday at customs offices and other locations.

The law enforcement agencies confiscated thousands of electric bicycles and scooters, as well as 480 containers in the port of Piraeus. There are additional checks and checks, issued orders for the confiscation of real estate and boats, as well as for blocking bank accounts.

The amount of approximately 5.8 million euros in different currencies has been searched, including 4.75 million euros in Greece, as well as several firearms and other weapons confiscated in the houses of three of the suspects.

Eleven properties in Spain were also seized, as well as 27 vehicles and luxury items, EPPO said.