An operation aimed at finding counterfeit and substandard foods and drinks has removed many products from the supply chain.
In Operation Opson In total, goods worth more than €91 million ($98.3 million) were withdrawn from the market.
Eleven criminal networks were reportedly discovered, 104 arrests and 184 search warrants were issued, 278 people were reported to law enforcement authorities and more than 5,800 checks and inspections were carried out.
Operation Opson involved 29 countries and was supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI ) and food and beverage manufacturers.
Participating countries included the United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Switzerland, Portugal, Netherlands, Ireland, Greece, Denmark, Croatia, Bulgaria and Belgium.
The activities covered physical and online markets, such as e-commerce platforms, and the entire food supply chain, from raw materials to final products.
According to Europol, the operation was bigger than in 2023, when 8,000 tons of products, including 6.5 million liters of drinks, were seized.
Findings of Fraud
Researchers across Europe noticed a continuing trend in fraudsters selling expired food. By infiltrating waste management companies, they obtain expired food that must be destroyed. Expired products are reintroduced into the supply chain after expiration dates are cleared and reprinted, or new labels are printed and applied.
Spain and Italy are examples of repressive action. The Spanish Guardia Civil, with the help of the Italian Carabinieri and Europol, arrested four people and seized approximately 120,000 cans of tuna and 45,000 liters of oil.
The owners of a canning company in La Rioja prepared the canned products with tuna of a lower quality than indicated on the label and with sunflower oil or pomace labeled as olive oil, so that they could market the products at lower prices than their competitors.
In Valencia, a pickle production company was investigated for selling products that were unfit for consumption due to the addition of illegal colorings and preservatives.
Italian authorities have identified and seized 42 tons of contaminated oil. Some products, marketed as Italian extra virgin olive oil, had already hit the market. Agents searched several locations, such as warehouses, and also seized 71 tons of oily substances and 623 liters of chlorophyll used for the adulteration of oils.
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