By Jennie Matthew
GREEK crime fighters could haul C.T. TOBACCO into court over one of the biggest seizures of contraband cigarettes in Europe, according to the Finance Ministry in Athens.
The company, owned by Christoforos Tornaritis, was listed alongside two other Cypriot companies, for suspected connection with a huge smuggling ring in Greece, Cyprus, the Balkans and Western Europe, responsible for handling more than 50 million packets of cigarettes this autumn.
Greek authorities said earlier this month they had impounded more than 18 million packets of cigarettes at Salonica port.
The consignment had been stored in warehouses 24 and 26 by C.T Tobacco and Greek company Macotrans Trading Ltd.
Another 10 international smugglers are also under investigation.
Although Tornaritis admits to storing the cigarettes in conjunction with Macotrans (to maximise security), he flatly denied any criminal activity.
Belittling the accusations as “fantastical” he called the Greek authorities “frivolous” and “arbitrary”.
C.T. Tobacco claims Macotrans told them on December 7 that the Greek checks had found nothing, before being subjected to an “unprecedented” attack from the Greek Finance Ministry, accusing them of smuggling.
“This claim is totally unfounded because our company always operates within the framework of legality. Where in the world is legal merchandise impounded or confiscated and to what extent can EU legislation permit this?” said the statement.
A spokesman for the Greek Finance Ministry retorted that Tornaritis can save his explanations for Greek justice, when he is “soon be called to testify”.
According to Greek newspaper Politis , the Greek government will confiscate the 18 million cigarettes within days, to collect part of the tax from 158 loads placed in warehouses without paying duty.
The discovery coincides with the publication of a new book, written by a senior member of the Italian government, which calls Cyprus a centre for contraband cigarettes. The author — Italian deputy interior minister and former judge Alfredo Mantovano — says Cyprus should be barred from the European Union until it mends its ways.
Miliardi in fumo(Millions Up In Smoke) devotes an entire chapter to Cyprus, packed with evidence to support allegations about the island’s guilt over cigarette smuggling.
According to Politis, the revelations prompted Cypriot ambassador to Rome, Alexandros Zenon, to send a top-secret communiqué to Nicosia demanding an explanation.
The message includes a complete analysis to of Mantovano’s thesis to Finance Minister Takis Klerides and Attorney general Alecos Markides.
A report drawn up by an ad hoc Italian parliamentary committee meeting on May 5, named Cyprus as a centre for contraband cigarettes.
So has a British parliamentary report and earlier this year, a Dutch Euro MP refused to vote for the Poos report because of the island’s record on cigarette smuggling.
Italian sources, quoted as “reliable” by Politis , say phenomenal amounts of money are wired from Apoulia, the Italian region opposite Albania, to Cypriot bank accounts.
Italian sources claim that is the place most contraband cigarettes passing through Cyprus end up and that there is no other legitimate financial activity linked to Cyprus to justify the cash transfers.
The source was surprised at unwillingness from some Cypriot state services to help in investigations, adding that Italian financial crime busters are trying to identify who the beneficiaries of the accounts are.
Smuggling is expected to top the agenda during a prospective visit of Italian Interior Minister Claudios Skazzola to Cyprus.
Rome now considers an Italian-Cypriot corporation protocol on illegal activities, dating from 1990, out of date.
Due to be re-signed during the visit, Rome wants the focus to shift to cigarette smuggling, illegal immigrants and the island’s status as a tax haven.
Information requested by Markides last August about Tornaritis, has already been sent from Athens to Nicosia.
The Finance Ministry has denied any knowledge of the latest reports to accuse C.T Tobacco of cigarette smuggling.
