Illegal Pesticide Smuggling Ring Costs EU €20 Billion Annually

Organised crime networks are smuggling counterfeit pesticides into northern Greece and across Europe, targeting economically pressed farmers with fake products that pose serious health and environmental hazards. The illegal trade—valued at $20 billion—exploits the EU's agricultural vulnerabilities and undermines food safety standards across member states.

Byte's take

Organised crime has found a goldmine in Europe's farm sector: counterfeit pesticides worth €20 billion yearly, exploiting economically vulnerable farmers while poisoning soil and food chains across member states.