18,100 kg of oil seized at the port of Salerno: it was not extra virgin

A container containing 18,100 kg of olive oil, with an estimated value of approximately 80 thousand euros, was seized at the commercial port of Salerno as part of the control activities on olive oil import/export flows promoted by the “Control Room” of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry.

The operation was conducted by the Salerno Carabinieri Agri-food Protection Unit, together with officers from the Provincial Command of the Salerno Guardia di Finanza and personnel from the local office of the Customs and Monopolies Agency.

According to investigators, the shipment was destined for abroad, specifically Canada. The activity began with the request to activate a “risk profile” on the container as part of commercial traffic monitoring procedures.

Subsequent checks, also supported by laboratory analysis, reportedly established that the product had been labeled and invoiced as extra virgin olive oil, but was instead virgin olive oil.

Following the findings, the owner of an Abruzzo oil company was reported for the alleged crimes of commercial fraud, sale of industrial products with false signs, and ideological falsehood committed by a private individual in a public document, by misleading a public official. The evidentiary seizure was validated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Further charges concern the indication of origin shown on the packaging. The label declared EU origin, but the product was reportedly obtained from blends of EU and non-EU origin oil. For this reason, an administrative fine of 4,000 euros was also issued.