Prevention of fraud through the use of Customs Procedure “42”—counterfeits, substandard electronic devices, and undervaluation—by the Customs Department.
According to the relevant announcement, over the past few months (June–September 2026) the Customs Department, following coordinated actions and operations, succeeded in preventing fraud involving the use of Customs Procedure “42,” which included the importation, storage, and intended intra-EU transfer to other EU member states of counterfeit goods, substandard electronic devices, and under-invoicing amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Specifically, newly established business entities were identified which, using the “42” customs procedure “42,” attempted to import products from China, which were transported in containers via Greece for temporary importation into Cyprus, pay import duties with a suspension of VAT payment, and then, as EU cargo, end up back in Greece or other neighboring Member States (e.g., Bulgaria), where the final recipients had been declared.
To date, 13,788 pieces of underwear infringing on a well-known trademark have been seized, while a large number of electronic devices that violated EU safety standards and specifications (non-CE compliance) have been identified.
The goods include:
Touchscreen monitors for cars
- MP3 players
- Radios
- Power banks
- Chargers
- Light bulbs
In addition to the above, serious cases of product undervaluation and the submission of incorrect packing lists and supporting documents during importation were also identified. From three such cases, more than €30,000 in import duties and taxes have been collected so far, along with an additional €9,500 euros as part of the process of accepting a proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the offenses.
Based on the manner in which this fraud was carried out, the resulting findings, and the entities involved, it appears that the actions of the Customs Department prevented the attempted diversion of the fraud from Greece through Cyprus, since, following the large-scale investigation codenamed “CALYPSO” conducted in Greece in the summer of 2025, under the coordination of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the phenomenon of abuse of Procedure 42 appears to have ceased, according to the General Directorate of Customs in Greece, and those involved attempted to circumvent it by diverting goods to Cyprus. It should be noted that during the “CALYPSO” investigation in 2025, fraud totaling over 700 million euros was uncovered across 14 European countries, while approximately 2,500 containers of goods were seized at the port of Piraeus.
