Serbian customs intercept bus load of R404A
26th April 2022
SERBIA: Customs officers discovered 60 cylinders of HFC refrigerant R404A in the luggage compartment of a bus at the Gradina crossing between Serbia and Bulgaria.
The bus, with Serbian license plates and traveling to Istanbul with 20 passengers, was set aside for a detailed inspection at the exit from Serbia
Customs officers were surprised when, instead of suitcases and bags, they found stacked bottles of the high GWP refrigerant in the luggage compartment. The refrigerant was in a mix of refillable and non-refillable cylinders.
A “misdemeanor procedure” is said to have been initiated against one of the bus drivers, a 28-year-old Turkish citizen. The refrigerant has been seized.
The import, export and transit of freon, requires a permit from Serbia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. Serbia ratified the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFCs last year.
