Greece and EPPO’s Operation Calypso Expose €400M Piraeus Customs Fraud

Containers astatine the larboard of Piraeus, wherever Greece and the EPPO are investigating Operation Calypso, a large customs fraud lawsuit linked to Chinese imports. Credit: STR / AMNA

Greece and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) are expanding their probe into Operation Calypso, a large customs fraud and corruption lawsuit centered astatine the larboard of Piraeus and linked to suspected taxation evasion worthy hundreds of millions of euros, according to a study by Kathimerini.

The lawsuit focuses connected imports from China, including clothing, fabrics and electrical bicycles, that allegedly entered Greece done a web of backstage operators and customs officials. Authorities person not yet determined the afloat grade of the alleged fraud, arsenic hundreds of containers stay nether inspection.

Insider study triggered Greece’s Piraeus customs fraud probe, Operation Calypso

Information from an insider reportedly triggered the investigation. That grounds became the starting constituent for the probe, which the European Public Prosecutor’s Office launched successful June 2025, with assistance from Greece’s Internal Affairs Service. During a Greek constabulary cognition that aforesaid month, authorities arrested 8 radical successful the act. The suspects included customs brokers and employees of the Piraeus customs office, arsenic good arsenic a Chinese mates allegedly linked to the import network.

Two of those arrested stay successful pretrial detention. Their lawyers reason that the determination is inconsistent, since authorities are holding the suspects connected the grounds that they could perpetrate caller offenses, adjacent though they person already been suspended from their duties arsenic portion of disciplinary proceedings.

Chinese mates allegedly coordinated imports

Investigators picture a Chinese mates arsenic cardinal figures successful the alleged scheme. The sixty-year-old husband, reportedly known by the nickname “Spenser,” and his wife, known arsenic “Kelly,” allegedly coordinated with traders successful China and arranged imports into Greece done Piraeus.

A sixty-year-old customs broker is described arsenic a nonstop subordinate of the couple. According to the investigation, she allegedly supported the cognition by issuing mendacious bills of lading and customs declarations successful speech for ample payments. Authorities judge she received the wealth successful currency earlier an subordinate transferred it to her company’s offices successful Perama.

Customs officials look charges

A Greek authoritative moving astatine the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has besides charged 3 further customs officials, including 2 retirees, with alleged engagement successful the scheme.

In total, the lawsuit has truthful acold led to the apprehension of 8 people, including the Chinese mates and six progressive oregon retired customs officials. A sixty-year-old customs authoritative allegedly served arsenic the main interaction for the Chinese couple.

Greece’s Piraeus customs fraud probe keeps 1,750 containers nether scrutiny

As portion of Operation Calypso, authorities initially froze 2,500 containers shipped from China to Greece aft identifying signs of imaginable links to the alleged network. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered their detention and afloat inspection.

According to Kathimerini, 1,750 containers stay impounded. Customs officials and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue person prioritized 5 100 containers for inspection. So far, authorities person completed checks connected 250 containers, leaving astir 1,500 containers inactive to beryllium inspected earlier they tin find the afloat standard of the suspected fraud.

New customs audit exemplary strengthens controls

Officials besides constituent to the instauration of a centralized Customs Audit Center arsenic a cardinal origin successful improving oversight. Planning for the halfway was completed successful February 2025, and it began operating successful August 2025, soon aft the EPPO launched its probe astatine Piraeus.

The caller operation changes however customs checks are handled. An autarkic portion present reviews documents for instrumentality clearance alternatively of section unit successful Piraeus, reducing nonstop interaction betwixt inspectors and traders. The cardinal authorization besides decides which containers should acquisition carnal inspection. It past receives and reviews the last inspection reports, alternatively of leaving that work to customs unit operating astatine the port.

Seized electrical bikes auctioned

Authorities precocious completed the archetypal auction of seized electrical bicycles connected to the case. The auction generated €122,000 (about $143,215) successful revenue.

Although the magnitude was constricted compared with the suspected standard of the fraud, officials from the Finance Ministry and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue viewed the auction arsenic symbolically important. They spot it arsenic the archetypal fiscal betterment measurement involving seized goods linked to the investigation.

Piraeus customs fraud probe lifts revenues contempt little imports

The lawsuit has already had a measurable fiscal impact. Taxes recovered done Operation Calypso contributed to an 11% summation successful customs revenue, amounting to €420 cardinal ($493.1 million) successful 2025 contempt an wide diminution successful imports, according to authorities.

Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis praised the associated enactment betwixt Greek authorities and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office aft gathering with European Public Prosecutor Laura Kövesi. According to Pierrakakis, Operation Calypso shows that practice betwixt nationalist and European authorities tin present important results successful the combat against customs and taxation fraud.