Today, Europol/INTERPOL published the results of the OPSON VIII operation to which the EU Food Fraud Network contributed in order to detect fraudulent actions in the organic sector. Justice, police, customs and food experts have been mobilised to investigate and to ensure the success of this operation for which 16 Member States volunteered to participate. The action focused on complex international supply chains and aimed to identify their vulnerable points It also investigated suspicions of fraud, targeted false certification, concentrated on food and feed in significant quantities, mostly imported, destined for redistribution under EU organic label. Though no health issues were identified, the action led to a number of administrative and criminal proceedings and the seizing of products. The Commission took the lead of the action on organic products by providing to the participants intelligence elaborated on in depth analysis of available data, supporting the national actions (e.g. statistics risk based operators, countries or control bodies) conducted by the participating countries and coordinating investigations with Europol and INTERPOL.

For more information, see EU coordinated actions