Filenews 3 July 2025
On 26/6/2025, the European Public Prosecutor's Office issued a press release in which it revealed the completion of an investigation into a major fraud of €700 million after a coordinated raid on businesses and organizations in 4 countries (Greece, Spain, France and Bulgaria) and the dismantling of an organized criminal network that had flooded the European market with goods (clothing, footwear, e-bikes/scooters, etc.) fraudulently imported from China by evading payment of the corresponding duties and taxes.
The investigation under the name "CALYPSO" was extended to 14 countries: Greece, Spain, France, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia. On June 25, 2025, 101 searches were carried out of customs clearance offices, companies controlled by the organized criminal network, lawyers, accountants and transport companies in Greece, Spain, France and Bulgaria. Also, 10 people were arrested, including 2 customs officers, while firearms found in the homes of three of the suspects were also confiscated.
The authorities involved in the investigation proceeded to seize cash holdings of various currencies as well as e-wallets and cryptocurrencies totalling €5.8 million (of which €4.78 million in Greece and the rest in France and Spain).
In addition, 7,133 electric bicycles and 3,696 electric scooters were seized, while 480 containers were detained at the port of Piraeus for further investigation and controls. 11 real estate, 27 vehicles and luxury items (bags, watches and jewellery) were frozen in Spain, while orders for the consolidation of assets (real estate, boats and bank accounts) were also issued in Greece.
Various criminal groups, mainly controlled by Chinese nationals, were involved in the fraud, which handled the entire movement of goods imported from China to the European market, including their distribution to different EU member states, their sale to end consumers as well as the laundering of the proceeds of illegal activities and the sending of the profits back to China. at the same time that they deceived the state by avoiding payment of the corresponding import duties, countervailing duties and VAT.
The public financial losses from the activity of this criminal network are estimated so far at €700 million: about €250 million is estimated from evaded customs duties (with an impact entirely on EU revenues) and around €450 million from losses from non-payment of VAT (with an impact on both EU revenues and national revenues of member states).
The following organisations and local law enforcement authorities contributed greatly to the successful investigation of the case of the European Public Prosecutor's Office:
- EUROPOL
- European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
- Hellenic Service for Internal Affairs of the Security Forces
- Hellenic Sub-Directorate of Digital Forensic Research and Analysis of the ICC
- French Anti-Fraud Office (ONAF)
- Bulgarian National Security Authority, Bulgarian National Investigation Service, Bulgarian General Police Directorate
- Spanish Police and Tax Authorities
