Irish customs confiscate 4000 e-bikes illegally imported into the EU

Customs in Ireland have confiscated numerous electric bicycles and scooters because they were illegally imported into the European Union. The operation was coordinated by the EU's competent authority, customs announced.

The officers searched two warehouses in Wexford and seized 4,000 e-bikes and a few e-scooters. Accessories and spare parts were also found. The Irish customs authority Revenue suspects that the e-bikes and e-scooters were intended for sale on the national and EU markets.

According to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the value of the confiscated goods amounts to around 4.5 million euros.

OLAF works together with national authorities

The action was part of a campaign by OLAF, which worked together with authorities in the member states. OLAF is taking action against the avoidance of import duties, anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties and VAT.

For example, goods are falsely declared, or it is falsely claimed that goods have left the EU. Once in the EU, the goods were delivered to e-commerce warehouses and then sold without VAT payments, which gave the perpetrators an unfair competitive advantage, OLAF reported. In this case, the EU would have lost around 2.3 million euros due to unpaid import duties.

“This case underlines the value of close cooperation between OLAF and Member State authorities in protecting the EU's financial interests, ensuring fair competition and safeguarding the integrity of the internal market,” said OLAF Director General Ville Itälä. “By working closely with the Member States, OLAF helps to identify and stop those who try to circumvent EU rules.”

(wpl)