Nearly 10,000 liters of low-quality gasoline and diesel have been withdrawn from the market

The comprehensive inspection of gas stations, organized by the Interdepartmental Coordination Center for Counteracting Smuggling and Controlling the Movement of Risky Goods and Cargoes at the Directorate General for the Prevention and Control of Dangerous Goods and Cargoes, has ended. This was announced by the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The action of the joint teams of the institutions was held in the period March 12-19. During it, dozens of sites storing and trading in liquid fuels were inspected in 10 regions of the country. The purpose of the inspections is to implement effective control of this type of commercial activity, which creates conditions for avoiding the payment of excise duty and VAT.

Differences in cash balances, failure to deliver fiscal receipts and hundreds of receipts attached to invoices for the sale of fuel to various transport companies are the most common violations detected by the authorities of the National Revenue Agency (NRA). Cases of false submission of information to the NRA have also been identified. In one site, the difference is nearly 1,000 liters of fuel in excess, which have not been reported to the Revenue Agency. In another site, a vehicle with an unregistered liquid fuel tank, with a gun and a meter, on the basis of Regulation H-18, was found. The relevant acts of administrative violations have been issued for the irregularities found.

Over 15 tons of fuel outside the norms of quality standards and fuel without documents of origin were identified during the inspection. For the purpose of rapid identification by determining the main characteristics of liquid fuels, the mobile customs laboratory of the "Customs" Agency was used.

Nearly 4,000 liters of illegal diesel fuel were seized due to suspicion of violation of the Excise and Tax Warehouses Act. After the laboratory tests carried out on site by the mobile customs groups, it was established that the fuel found did not match the composition described in the excise documents for motor fuel - gas oil presented during the inspection. The composition parameters correspond to heating fuel and it cannot be offered as motor fuel at gas stations due to the high sulfur content. In addition, it does not meet the standards for biocomponent content and in general - the requirements for fuels. From the "Customs" Agency over 2,000 liters of gasoline with deviations in composition were also seized.

Laboratory tests of the Main Directorate for Quality Control of Liquid Fuels at the State Agency for Metrological and Technical Supervision (DAMTN) show that fuel outside the quality standards is offered in every second of the inspected gas stations. Nearly 10,000 liters of poor-quality gasoline and diesel have been withdrawn from the market. Administrative violations were also issued for missing stickers on the measuring devices or for expired devices. The sanctions imposed by DAMTN on commercial establishments amount to hundreds of thousands of leva.

Violations related to fire safety requirements were also found by employees of the Main Directorate "Fire Safety and Population Protection" (GDPBZN).

The inspections, coordinated by the Interdepartmental Center of the GDBOP, also involve representatives of the Economic Police - SDVR and the relevant regional directorates of the Ministry of Interior.

The control is permanent and is carried out monthly according to plan in order to deal with the shadow economy, comply with the legislation and increase revenues through effective prevention and counteraction to tax fraud.

During the specialized operation conducted in February, dozens of sites in the country were inspected and deviations from quality standards were established, and the fuel was stopped from distribution. Commercial practices were also identified in which payment of the due VAT and excise duty was avoided.

The joint work of the interdepartmental teams regarding the control of the sale of liquid fuels on the territory of the country continues.