Greek Authorities Crack Down on Fuel Smuggling Network

The news in Greek

1. λαθρεμπόριο  (n.)
   παράνομη διακίνηση αγαθών χωρίς την καταβολή φόρων ή δασμών. ↩︎
2. καύσιμο  (n.)
   ουσία που χρησιμοποιείται για την παραγωγή ενέργειας μέσω της καύσης. ↩︎
3. ένοχος  (m.)
   το άτομο που έχει διαπράξει ένα αδίκημα. ↩︎
4. αντλία  (f.)
   συσκευή που χρησιμοποιείται για την άντληση υγρών. ↩︎
5. φοροδιαφυγή  (f.)
   η αθέμιτη πρακτική της αποφυγής πληρωμής φόρων. ↩︎
6. εξαρθρώνω
   διαλύω ή καταστρέφω μια οργανωμένη ομάδα. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: How many people were arrested in Greece for fuel smuggling?

Question 2: What did the guilty people do with the pumps?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
λαθρεμπόριο  (n.)	smuggling
καύσιμο  (n.)	fuel
ένοχος  (m.)	culprit
αντλία  (f.)	pump
φοροδιαφυγή  (f.)	tax evasion
εξαρθρώνω	dismantle

Read the full story

In a sweeping action across Greece, the country’s organised crime unit, often referred to as the “Greek FBI“, has launched a significant operation to disrupt a network involved in fuel smuggling. This operation, conducted on Tuesday, 2nd September 2025, targeted petrol stations and storage areas in numerous regions including Attica, Thessaloniki, Arta, Trikala, Larissa, Katerini, Volos, and Laconia.

The operation led to at least 20 arrests and the confiscation of substantial monetary sums as well as quantities of illegally traded fuel. The suspects are accused of manipulating their equipment to supply customers with less fuel than indicated, engaging in tax evasion through fake invoices, and using illegal software to interfere with fuel measurement systems. These systems were altered to underreport the actual amounts delivered to the customers, resulting in financial losses for both consumers and the state.

The investigation revealed a complicated scheme where several petrol stations tampered with flow-monitoring systems, allowing them to divert fuel and profits away from legitimate channels. This illegal activity not only defrauded consumers but also had implications for public revenue, due to the extensive tax evasion involved.

Authorities continue to investigate this matter comprehensively, aiming to dismantle the network completely and hold those responsible to account. This crackdown highlights the ongoing efforts by Greek law enforcement to combat organised crime and protect consumer rights, as well as the state’s financial interests.

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