Over 400 tonnes of ODS/HFC seizures in 2024
8th March 2026
BELGIUM: The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has reported 134 seizures of ODS and HFC commodities in 2024, totalling 437,609.6kg of illegal gas and equipment.
While the number of seizures only increased by 5%, compared to 2023, the WCO’s latest Illicit Trade Report reveals that the quantities seized nearly doubled. This rise was primarily driven by a 145% increase in seizures of equipment using ODS or HFCs.
In total there were 27 seizures of equipment using controlled substances, totalling 24,198.9kg. The quantities of HFCs in 54 seizures increased by 71% to 158,781.2kg, compared to 2023. In contrast, seizures of ODS were down, with the 11,713.8kg seized representing a 50% drop in volume.
Almost half of the reporting customs administrations recorded only one seizure. The most frequent reporters were The Gambia, along with four European countries – Croatia, Bulgaria, Poland, and Italy – each reporting between 10 and 34 seizures.
The Gambia was not only the most frequent offence location for ODS/ HFCs seizures, but also accounted for half of the total quantity. Italy followed, accounting for 17% of the seized quantity. Although Niger reported only two seizures, it accounted for 11% of the total quantity. Poland and France were also notable offence locations for large volumes of ODS/HFCs. In contrast, despite being among the most frequent reporters, Croatia and Bulgaria reported relatively small quantities, together accounting for only 2% of the total quantity seized.
Türkiye was the most frequent departure point for ODS/HFCs, with 26 seizures, accounting for 20% of the total number of cross-border ODS/HFCs seizures. Likewise, Bosnia and Herzegovina and China were common departure points, collectively accounting for 23% of the total seizures. Ukraine and Serbia were also among the top five departure points.
In terms of quantity seized, 77% of the total volume of ODS/HFCs departed from Australia, China, Albania, Luxembourg, Algeria, and Türkiye. The Gambia was the most frequent destination for ODS/HFCs, accounting for 34 of the total number of 134 seizures. Croatia, Bulgaria, and Italy were also frequent destinations – ranking among the top five – and collectively accounted for 37% of the total seizures.
In terms of quantity, The Gambia was the destination for 51% of the total volume of ODS/HFCs seized in 2024. Italy, Niger, Ukraine, and France were also significant destinations, collectively accounting for 43% of the total quantity.
Nearly half of all smuggling attempts were detected at land borders, followed by inland sites (24%) and seaports (21%). In terms of quantities, the largest volumes were seized inland (55%), followed by seaports (36%) and land boundaries (6%).
Most detections were made during routine and random checks accounting for 72% of seizures and 67% of the quantity. Investigation and intelligence contributed to 16% of the total number of seizures and 20% of the quantity seized.
