Operation OPSON X: Seizure of illicit food and beverages with a value of about € 53.8 million
Europol and Interpol coordinated operation OPSON 2020, which targeted trafficking of counterfeit and substandard food and beverage. The operation ran from December 2020 to June 2021 and involved law enforcement authorities from 72*countries, including 26 EU Member States.
Europol announced the seizure of 15,451 illegal tons of food and beverages, with a value of about € 53.8 million. In total, more than 600 arrest warrants were issued, which would have disrupted the activities of 42 organized crime groups worldwide.
"With more than 15,000 tonnes of illegal products seized, Operation OPSON X illustrates the importance of cooperation between national authorities and the private sector in protecting consumers’ rights and the quality of the products we put on our tables" Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle said.
The most seized merchandise in Operation OPSON X were alcoholic beverages and food supplements, succeeded by cereals and grain products. Alcoholic drinks were the most commonly counterfeited, as well as products protected by trademarks, geographic indications or appellations of origin. Europol and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) coordinated the activities targeting fraud relating to several products such as wine, honey or meat.
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* Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Ghana, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.
