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October 2019 on Polish–Ukrainian border at Korczowa: an X-ray scan of a refrigerator truck reveals over 600 litres of illegal pesticide, net worth exceeded €50,000. The driver was fined €700€ fine plus loss of the truck (Photo: National Revenue Administration)

Investigation

The perfect crime? Pesticides - low risk, minimal sanctions

The crime is simple: buy non-authorised chemicals from China for €14 per litre and sell them on the European black market for five times the price.

Deduct costs for packaging and transport and the net profit will be close to €70 on each litre, according to Europol, the EU's crime-fighting agency.

A single shipment of 160 tonnes generates €11.2m. Tax-free and almost completely risk-free. It's a crime we can hardly see, and it very rarely comes to court.

"The risk of being ar...

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Author Bio

Staffan Dahllöf is an investigative journalist in Denmark. This investigation comprised research from Eva Achinger, Lorenzo Bagnoli, Antonio Baquero, George Brock, Kristof Clerix, Anuška Delić, Rasit Elibol, Caroline Henshaw, Nils Mulvad and Krzysztof Story contributed to this article. The research was supported by Journalismfund.eu and Reporters in the field/Robert Bosch Stiftung.

October 2019 on Polish–Ukrainian border at Korczowa: an X-ray scan of a refrigerator truck reveals over 600 litres of illegal pesticide, net worth exceeded €50,000. The driver was fined €700€ fine plus loss of the truck (Photo: National Revenue Administration)

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Author Bio

Staffan Dahllöf is an investigative journalist in Denmark. This investigation comprised research from Eva Achinger, Lorenzo Bagnoli, Antonio Baquero, George Brock, Kristof Clerix, Anuška Delić, Rasit Elibol, Caroline Henshaw, Nils Mulvad and Krzysztof Story contributed to this article. The research was supported by Journalismfund.eu and Reporters in the field/Robert Bosch Stiftung.

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