A criminal organization was dismantledwhose members imported and produced fuel adulteration chemicals, while at the same time they trafficked adulterated fuel and drinks.
For the case, 20 members of the organization were arrested, including the leader, while ten more have been identified and are being sought. A case file was filed against them for – as the case may be – criminal organization, smuggling of liquid fuels and ethyl alcohol, money laundering, acceptance and disposal of proceeds of crime, as well as for violation of arms, competition and product market regulation laws .
The investigations revealed that they imported chemical products from Bulgaria for the purpose of adulterating fuel and ethyl alcohol, without paying taxes and duties. At the same time, taking advantage of the legal operation of a disinfectant company, they also operated an illegal factory for the manufacture of chemical solvents suitable for fuel adulteration.
The members of the spiral
Subgroup members had specific roles, such as:
– the search for chemical solvents, storage areas and trucks,
– the coordination with the members of the criminal organization of Bulgaria, on the time and manner of introduction of the chemical solvents, as well as the subsequent transport and storage,
– finding and ordering raw materials for the production of chemical solvents,
– the supervision of the process of production and transport of solvents and
– the supply and distribution of smuggled ethyl alcohol in alcoholic beverage businesses.
They used a truck parking lot in Aspropyrgos as the main site for their activities, where both the quantities of ethyl alcohol and the quantities of chemical solvents and adulterated fuels ended up.
In detail, two storage areas were used in Western Attica, where the chemical solvents from Bulgaria first arrived and then ended up in the above parking area, where the adulteration of the fuel of unknown origin took place.
At the same time, in a third area, independent of the two previous ones, there was the headquarters of a company, which, due to its activity, procured all the necessary chemical materials for the production of illegal chemical solvents, which immediately afterwards ended up in the same parking area, to be channeled with liquid fuel tankers at gas stations.
With regard to the supply and trafficking of ethyl alcohol, they take advantage of the network maintained by the lead member for fuel smuggling and the quantities are stored in the same facilities, from where they are picked up by a member of the third sub-group, either with his own vehicle or with vehicles from rental company, so that they can then be delivered to customers – distilleries and businesses selling alcoholic beverages.
How the organization disintegrated
On the evening of Tuesday, March 5, 2024, a targeted police operation was carried out, after the members of the organization had produced thirty tons of chemical solvents, transported them by truck to the parking lot in Aspropyrgos and transferred the chemical solvents to a tank truck, the which then went to a gas station in Athens.
During the operation, searches were carried out in -6- petrol stations, -1- truck parking area, -7- houses, -2- warehouses, -1- a company that produces disinfectants and wholesales industrial chemical products, -1- beverage wholesale company and -2- distilleries.
From these investigations, the following were found and seized:
265 liters of chemical solvents,
101 liters of unleaded petrol without legal documents,
762 liters of ethyl alcohol,
746 liters of other alcoholic liquids,
12- I.X.E., of which -6- were employed, while -3- will be sent for laboratory examination to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations,
4- I.X. trucks,
2- tankers,
4- hunting rifles,
8- mobile phones and
the sum of 78,955 euros.
The quantities of illegal chemical solvents trafficked by the first sub-group amount to -111- tons and from the second to -150- tons, while the duties and other charges that the State was deprived of, both from the seized and trafficked quantities of chemical solvents, illegal fuels, ethyl alcohol and other alcoholic beverages exceed -1,200,000- euros.
Those arrested, with the case filed against them, were taken to the competent Prosecutor and referred to an investigator.
It is reminded that citizens can contact, anonymously or by name, the telephone number 11012 or the website of the Greek State (gov.gr) “Complaint for financial crimes”, to provide information or to report illegal and fraudulent actions or activities against the sector of the economy, public property, as well as social and insurance welfare and rights.
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