Greek customs authorities uncovered a vast range of smuggled goods in the second quarter of 2025, with seizures that spanned undeclared cash, illicit tobacco and alcohol, narcotics, counterfeit merchandise, and even endangered animal products. The findings, made between April and June, reflect intensified inspections at airports, land border crossings, and ports across the country, using X-ray scanners and sniffer dogs to great effect.
Officials from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) reported the confiscation of large sums of undeclared money. At various entry points, including Athens International Airport and border crossings such as Kipoi and Kastanies, inspectors intercepted over €250,000, along with significant amounts in U.S. dollars, Japanese yen, Turkish lira, Bulgarian leva, and UAE dirhams. The cash was discovered either hidden in luggage or carried by travelers who failed to declare it, despite being legally obligated to do so.
Tobacco smuggling was another focus. Nearly two million cigarettes, along with hundreds of kilograms of rolling tobacco and shisha tobacco, were seized. At Athens Airport alone, authorities apprehended several passengers arriving from Cairo and Istanbul who had concealed hundreds of thousands of cigarettes and dozens of kilos of tobacco in their luggage. Other hauls were discovered in abandoned suitcases, while in the cargo sector, a shipment from Thailand falsely declared as toothpaste was found to contain 400,000 cigarettes. Smaller busts occurred in locations including Thessaloniki, Patras, Mykonos, and the land borders with Albania, North Macedonia, and Turkey.
Alcohol was also on the radar. In northern Greece, customs officials discovered undeclared spirits in bottles, bags, and steel containers, many without proper tax stamps. In one case, Bulgarian-labeled alcohol was being sold at a restaurant in the port town of Keramoti, prompting its immediate closure.
Counterfeit goods were found in abundance. At Athens Airport, customs officers seized hundreds of fake designer clothes, handbags, and accessories, mostly originating from Turkey and Hong Kong. A truck at the Kipoi border crossing was found to be transporting over 37,000 counterfeit garments. Additional raids on street markets in Kavala uncovered knock-off sunglasses and T-shirts bearing the logos of well-known brands.
Authorities also uncovered a mix of odd and alarming items. In Athens, postal inspections revealed gun parts in parcels headed for the United States and France, while paintings of questionable authenticity arrived from Peru. A passenger from Paris was caught transporting 70 kilograms of unlicensed insecticides, and Turkish-made pesticides were found in vehicles entering through northern land borders.
One of the more striking discoveries involved attempts to smuggle baklava and precious goods into the country. At the Kipoi crossing, customs seized 60 packages of the traditional dessert along with gold jewelry weighing over 750 grams, a silver ornament, clothes, and even pharmaceutical products. In Kastoria, customs stopped a shipment of garments made from the pelts of bobcats—a species protected under international wildlife agreements—attempting to leave Greece without the required permits.
Fuel smuggling also came under scrutiny. In a covert operation outside Athens, customs officials posed as municipal workers and uncovered an illegal fuel depot hidden inside a truck parking lot, complete with pumps and a one-ton storage tank.
Drug seizures capped off the quarter’s activity. Cannabis shipments arriving via mail from Canada, the UK, Thailand, and the United States were intercepted with the help of trained dogs. Several arrests followed. At a secure facility in Distomo, authorities destroyed large quantities of seized narcotics, including khat, cannabis, methamphetamine, and tens of thousands of illegal pills.
