News
Of Alessandro Fragalà – 18 June 2024
Over 22 thousand liters of non-compliant diesel fuel were seized by the Caltanissetta Guardia di Finanza and by officials of the ADM Customs Agency in two distributors in Gela and Niscemi. The diesel, ready to be placed on the market, did not comply with safety and quality regulations.
The operation took place as part of a large campaign of controls, carried out with cutting-edge technology, against fraud in the excise sector, conducted by the soldiers of the Gela Group and by officials of the ADM of Porto Empedocle. The distributors had been identified thanks to specific risk alerts, which indicated potential illicit activity. To ascertain the quality of the diesel, samples were taken from the tanks and immediately analyzed with the support of the Mobile Laboratory and the Chemical Laboratory of Palermo of the ADM. The analyzes revealed that the flash point of the diesel was lower than 40°C, compared to the minimum 55°C required by law.
This low value increases the risk of fires in storage facilities. In addition to the seizure of the non-compliant diesel fuel, two persons responsible for fraud in the exercise of trade were reported to the Gela Prosecutor’s Office. Every year, the Financial Police and the Customs Agency carry out thousands of checks on fuels to guarantee the quality and safety of consumers. The use of poor quality diesel can in fact damage car engines, increase exhaust emissions and harm the environment. The Gela and Niscemi operation demonstrates the fruitful collaboration between the Financial Police and the Customs Agency in combating fraud and protecting the financial interests of the State and the European Union.
