The popular Hong Kong newspaper Oriental Daily recently reported via its online news site that Italian investigators said they are working with the European Union to hunt down Chinese criminal groups who have smuggled a large amount of goods into the EU via the Greek port of Piraeus to avoid an import tax and a product value-added tax (VAT). The Italian Central Anti-fraud Office pointed out that evidence showed Chinese criminals worked through their own companies in Piraeus to import counterfeit clothing and shoes. The Italian government estimated the loss reached tens of millions of Euros. The Greek government also started its own investigation. Piraeus is Greece’s largest port. Its largest shareholder is China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO). The Port of Piraeus is a strategic city in China’s “One Belt One Road” plan. Oriental Daily has been Hong Kong’s number one newspaper in circulation since 1976, with a record readership of over 3,100,000.
Source: Oriental Daily, April 21, 2018
http://hk.on.cc/cn/bkn/cnt/news/20180421/bkncn-20180421020014418-0421_05011_001_cn.html