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Dutch seize 4,800 cylinders of illegal F-gas

NETHERLANDS: Four shipping containers carrying around 4,800 cylinders of illegal F-gas refrigerants have been seized in the latest crackdown by Dutch customs authorities.

Few details of the seizure at the Port of Rotterdam have been released. The country of origin has not been revealed, nor the actual refrigerants involved, although the shipment was valued at around €1.5m. 

The Netherlands’ Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate is still investigating and mapping out possible suspicious persons or companies. 

The interception of the illegal shipment took place following a report from OLAF, the EU anti-fraud office. This showed that the F-gases were possibly being shipped to three European countries where the recipients were not allowed to import the F-gases. The Netherlands’ Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate then started an investigation and started tracking the shipment. 

The latest seizure follows the interception of more than 3,500 cylinders of HFC refrigerants at the Venlo border with Germany in March. That shipment, on three trucks en route from Turkey, comprised approximately 40 tonnes of R410A, R407C and R134a. The seized material was auctioned online earlier this month for the knockdown price of €166,000. 

In May, a large-scale day of action by Dutch authorities seized around 85 cylinders of HFC refrigerant during unannounced visits to 70 car companies in Lelystad, central Netherlands.

Related stories

Illegal refrigerant auctioned for a knockdown price2 October 2024
NETHERLANDS: The 40 tonnes of illegal refrigerant seized by Dutch customs earlier this year has been auctioned online for the knockdown price of €166,000. Read more…

Dutch day of action bags illegal refrigerant8 June 2024
NETHERLANDS: An unprecedented large-scale day of action by Dutch authorities seized around 85 cylinders of HFC refrigerant during unannounced visits to 70 car companies in Lelystad, central Netherlands. Read more…

Dutch seize more than 40 tonnes of refrigerant – 6 June 2024
NETHERLANDS: Dutch authorities recently seized more than 3,500 cylinders of HFC refrigerants at the Venlo border with Germany. Read more…

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