European Fraud Investigation Targets E-Bike Import Tax Evasion from China to EU via Greece

• OLAF identified a potential EU-wide fraud involving the import of electric bicycles without paying duties and VAT.
• Meetings were held in October and November 2024 to monitor suspicious e-commerce imports and identify illegal storage facilities.
• A joint operation took place in December 2024 in Piraeus to detect customs fraud related to e-bikes.
• Bulgarian importers were found to be under-invoicing and concealing goods, leading to tax losses.
• The case was referred to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, requiring secrecy and coordination.
• A coordinated effort with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and national authorities was organized to combat the criminal network.
• AAD provided necessary customs data to uncover the fraud and continues to investigate involved parties and containers.

Source: taxheaven.gr

Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.

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