Development, Competitiveness & Transport Minister Costis Hatzidakis announced the launch of an extensive and continuous, as he termed it, crackdown on the sale and peddling of "black market" goods throughout the country, as well as revision of the institutional framework for street vendors in order to guarantee greater transparency.
Hatzidakis chaired the first session of a coordinating centre against illegal trade, comprised of representatives of the business sector and relevent government ministries. Reports on "black market" violations will be received via the 1520 hotline.
The minister underlined that "we are moving on from theory to action," adding that immediate destruction of confiscated goods on the spot is not enough, and that "we need to tackle the problem at its roots."
In a related development, roughly two million items, all knock-off brands, mainly sunglasses, athletic shoes, perfumes and clothing, were found in four containers and were confiscated in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens proper, by motorcycle police during a routine patrol four days ago, it was announced on Tuesday.
Two foreign nationals arrested at the scene were also charged with attempted bribery when they allegedly offered 5,000 euros to arresting officers. (AMNA)