ATHENS – A ring of alcoholic beverages and ethyl alcohol importers from Bulgaria was dismantled by the Financial Police in Greece.

The 14 members – 10 Greeks and 4 foreign nationals, including the ring leader – were arrested two days ago for importing large quantities of the liquids made in Bulgaria and relabelling it as Greek, then distributing it to wine and spirit sellers in Attica or sent by courier elsewhere in the country.

Police said that once a week they would transport alcoholic beverages or ethyl alcohol to Greece at unregistered distilleries and warehouses, under foreign labels and fake papers. These they would remove and replace with fake Greek ones of well-known companies, or produce beverages with the ethyl alcohol they imported at two illegal distilleries.

Police confiscated, among vehicles, equipment and fake labels, a total of 19,140 liters of ethyl alcohol, 3,431 of assorted alcoholic liquids, and alcoholic beverages in 21,901 bottles.

Authorities calculate that unpaid customs and taxes amount to 810,000 euros.