Operation Orion took place in 2016 and was carried out by the customs authorities of 23 EU Member States in close cooperation with the tax authorities. It targeted goods originating from non-EU countries and released into free circulation using customs procedure 42.
The results were presented in November 2016 in Athens. More than 200 physical controls, 390 documentary controls and 50 on-the-spot checks were made during the operational phase. This led to customs officers uncovering several instances of undervaluation and misclassification of goods at import, as well as a string of missing traders who "disappeared" in order to evade customs duties and VAT.
OLAF provided the organisational, logistical, financial and technical support that allowed for a real-time exchange of information and intelligence. The operation was coordinated from the Physical Operational Coordination Unit (P-OCU) at OLAF's premises in Brussels with the participation of a group of liaison officers from the EU Member States and a representative from EUROPOL.