Presentation by Dr Eirini Stamouli, Greece, at the WCO and OECD Regional Policy Dialogue, 7-8 November 2016, Brussels. For more information see www.oecd.org/gov/risk/oecdtaskforceoncounteringillicittrade.htm

1. Session 1: Co-operation between across Customs and other enforcement agencies to
counter illicit trade
Illicit Tobacco trade and inter-agency cooperation in
Greece: recent initiatives
Dr. Eirini Stamouli
General Secretariat Against Corruption
Ministry of Justice, Transparency & Human Rights
Hellenic Republic
World Custom Organization- OECD
Brussels, 7-8/11/2016
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2. Organized Crime in Greece
• Increase of OC since 90s (human trafficking,
immigrant smuggling, racketeering)
• economic crisis
• cigarette smuggling, loan sharking and money
laundering
• The geographical position of Greece as a
passage between East and West
• The economic crisis as a primary reinforcing
parameter (enabler) respectively - (SOCTA
2013)
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3. Organized Crime in Greece
• Strong links to international criminal organizations.
• Polycriminal groups.
• use of internet in order to facilitate their criminal
activity.
• These is a continued upward trend in crimes with
serious economic consequences on the State,
businesses, and individuals, e.g. cigarette
smuggling.
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4. The profits of Organized Crime in Greece - estimates
Source: ‘’Final report of project OCP – Organised Crime Portfolio’’ (2015)
• 3.6 billion euros per year, corresponding to 1.6
percent in GDP (in 2010).
• Cigarette smuggling brings 455 million euros
per year (2013).
• Drug trafficking: 54 million euros per year in
heroin sales, 35 million euros in ecstasy sales,
28 million euros from cannabis and 16 million
euros from cocaine.
• The biggest profits for criminal organizations
come from counterfeit products estimated at
1.5 billion euros (2010).
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5. Greece & international drug trafficking routes/heroin, cannabis, cocaine
Source: Coordinative Body for Drug Law Enforcement - 2014 Annual Report
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6. • Smuggling of tobacco products
• economic crisis/increase of the demand
for illegal cigarettes and tobacco
• 2011: increase of 37% compared to the
respective numbers of seizures for year
2010
• The total amount of lost revenues and
taxes was estimated at over EUR 125
million.
Συντονιστική Υπηρεσία Καταπολέμησης
της Απάτης - AFCOS
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7. • 2008 -2014: The state missed out total
taxes of 2, 535 billion euros (KPMG,
Project SUN, 2014)
• In 2014: contraband and counterfeit
tobacco products 20,6 % of domestic
cigarette transactions.
• In 2015: 19.8 % of the total consumption
Συντονιστική Υπηρεσία Καταπολέμησης
της Απάτης - AFCOS
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8. Smuggling of tobacco products
Key factors for the increase of the illicit tobacco
products trade:
• The substantial increase in taxation
• The economic downturn due to the ongoing crisis
• The social tolerance
• The overall merging of operational capabilities of
regional Balkan criminal groups
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9. Smuggling of tobacco products
• 2013: the higher percentage of total
tax (excise and VAT) /corresponding
increases in cigarette prices.
• 2013: Greece displays the largest
increase in the EU (+ 26%) in tobacco
smuggling.
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10. General Secretariat of Public Revenue
Special Strategic Plans
• 2015 Annual Report of the General Secretariat of
Public Revenue (GGDE), of the Hellenic Ministry
of Finance
• special strategic plans
• comprehensive strategic approach at national
level
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11. Numbers of cigarette smuggling cases
(2013-2014 / Greece – total/Source: Hellenic Police, 2014 Annual Report for Serious &
Organized Crime in Greece)
1581
2245
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2013 2014
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12. Seizures by competent Authority
(2014 / Greece – total total/Source: Hellenic Police, 2014 Annual Report for Serious
& Organized Crime in Greece)
Hellenic Sea Guard 28,38%
Police, 7.77%
Economi
Crime Unti ;
6,49%
Customs, 56.85%
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13. Smuggling of cigarettes - seizures
• 2015: 630.801.892 cigarettes were
seized. Total amount of evaded duties
and taxes 114.544.017 euros.
• 2014: 428.802.919 cigarettes were
seized. Total amount of evaded duties
and taxes 75.741.023 euros.
47,1% increase in cigarettes seized in
2015, compared to 2014
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14. Συντονιστική Υπηρεσία Καταπολέμησης της Απάτης - AFCOS
Seizures of tobacco products in Ε.U. (source : OLAF)
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2015: 1η rank
2014: 3η rank
2013: 2η rank
2012: 4η rank
2011: 1η rank
2010: 3η rank
2009: 6η rank

15. General Secretariat Against Corruption
• The fight against corruption, is one of the main
priorities of the Greek Government.
• The General Secretariat Against Corruption
(GSAC) was established according to article 6 of
Law 4320/2015 (Gov. Gaz. A' 29/19-03-2015).
• The General Secretariat Against Corruption-
GSAC has also been designated as the national
anti-fraud coordination service-AFCOS, as
foreseen in par. 1b of article 7 of law 4320/2015.
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16. General Secretariat Against Corruption
To resolve conflicts
 to remove overlapping responsibilities
 to enhance the coordination of the competent
domestic Services and Agencies
to promote the effectiveness of their actions
to ensure cooperation with OLAF
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17. General Secretariat Against Corruption
Inter-Institutional cooperation concerns the
following audit and law enforcement authorities:
• Financial & Economic Crime Unit-S.D.O.E.
• Hellenic Police Services, including Economic Police
Directorate & Internal Affairs Directorate
• Customs
• Coast Guard
• State Auditors
• Internal Audit Services & Units
• Administrative Control Authorities
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18. Cigarettes seizures in Greece –
cooperation between GSAC and OLAF
SEIZURES OF CIGARETTES
Custom service: October 2015 until April 2016 seized 11 containers
with illicit cigarettes.
Total number of seized cigarettes : 125.570.000.
Total amount of evaded duties and taxies was €23.119.841,18.
All these containers and cigarettes reached Greece from outside the
EU.
Cooperation: Custom Service with the Financial and Economic Crime
Unit (SDOE) of the Hellenic Ministry of Finance, seizures of
Coordination : General Secretariat against – AFCOS.
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19. General Secretariat against Corruption - AFCOS
INFORMATION FLOW
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OLAF
AFCOS
Customs, Units for Economic
Crime (SDOE, Financial Police),
Hellenic Coast Guard

20. OLAF Press Release – 05/02/2016
‘’The Aegean Sea was the target of two of OLAF's
biggest operations this season. Thanks to the
close cooperation with the Greek General
Secretariat against corruption (AFCOS Greece),
Greek and Cypriot customs, 33 million cigarettes,
were seized at the end of January. An additional
seizure of almost 21 million cigarettes had already
taken place at the Port of Piraeus, bringing the
total number of seized cigarettes in Greece in the
course of these 2 recent investigations to over 55
million.’’
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21. Cigarettes seizure – Customs in cooperation with SDOE –
2016
Source: General Secretariat Against Corruption
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22. Cigarettes seizure – Customs in cooperation with SDOE –
2016
Source: General Secretariat Against Corruption
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23. Cigarettes seizure – Customs – 2015
Source: General Secretariat Against Corruption
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24. Cigarettes seizure – Customs – 2015
Source: General Secretariat Against Corruption
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25. Steps to be taken
• Foster collective action
• Increase penalties and fines, to deter
trafficking and illicit trade
• Multi-stakeholder approach
• Promote integrity and anti-corruption
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26. General Secretariat Against Corruption
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!
Contact details:
Fragkoudi 11 & Al. Pantou
Kallithea 17671, Athens, Greece
Tel.: +30 210 9098701
Fax: +30 210 9098741
E-mail: gsecretariat@gsac.gov.gr
http://www.gsac.gov.gr
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