Customs: 69.5 tons of coffee missing from a Durrës bonded warehouse; 17.8 million lek in duties and fines

The General Directorate of Customs said its officers have found that 69.5 tons of coffee were missing from a bonded warehouse in the Durrës district. The warehouse was authorized to produce and process coffee, a product subject to excise duty. The operator's name was not made public. The case was made public on Thursday by the General Directorate of Customs.

Duties and fines

According to Customs, the unpaid excise on the missing quantity amounts to 4.5 million lek. Fines of 13.3 million lek have been calculated on top of that, bringing the total value of duties and fines to 17.8 million lek. It was not disclosed whether the case will also be referred to prosecutors.

The check was carried out by the Excise Control Directorate, part of the Excise Department, on the basis of risk criteria and under Law No. 61/2012 “On excise duties in the Republic of Albania,” as amended. Following the finding, customs authorities will continue the relevant administrative procedures under the legislation in force.

Checks continue

In its statement, Customs stressed that checks on economic operators will continue to ensure compliance with excise legislation and to protect the state's financial interests. The aim, according to the institution, is to prevent and detect violations, fight tax evasion and protect budget revenue. Bonded warehouses allow excise goods to be stored or processed with the duty suspended, so any mismatch between declared and physical quantities is treated as a violation.