Customs officers seize millions of masks, Covid tests in international operation

Officers of tax and customs authority NAV seized over 3.5 million medical items including face masks, disinfectants, and medicines with fake brand names or of inferior quality in an international operation between May and July, a senior NAV official said on Monday.

As part of the operation initiated by the World Customs Organisation dubbed STOP, officers of NAV and national anti-adulteration body HENT carried out inspections on over 100,000 cars, some 60,000 trucks and over 6,000 trains, Kristóf Péter Bakai told a press conference.

Bakai said a coordinated effort was needed to fight the illegal trade of medicines and medical equipment, which was becoming rampant in view of the coronavirus epidemic.

The aim of the operation was to ensure the protection of legal businesses as well as to thwart the financing of organised criminals, he said.