Shipping container seizure in EU includes thousands of undervalued e-bikes

September 18, 2025

The seizure of 2,435 shipping containers here valued at least 250 million euros ($294.4 million) — including at least 500 filled with e-bikes — led to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) charging six people including two customs officers for importing Chinese goods into the EU market and evading customs duties and value-added tax.

Of the 500 e-bike containers discovered in June at the port of Piraeus, 360 had not been declared to customs, and according to the EPPO, they would have been either not declared or undervalued to avoid anti-dumping duty payments. A total of 7,133 e-bikes and 3,696 e-scooters were secured.

“On average, only 10% to 15% of the actual number of e-bikes in a container were declared,” according to the EPPO. “The damage to the EU budget for these e-bikes alone is conservatively estimated at 25 million euros in unpaid customs duties and 12.5 million euros in VAT losses.”

It’s also a reminder that the tariff increases can lead to customs fraud including undervaluing that would affect U.S.-based wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. Pat Cunnane, a business consultant and former CEO of Advanced Sports Enterprises, said the EU news should serve as a cautionary tale. Cunnane is active in trade issues and has been for the past 35 years and has testified on trade issues. BRAIN