TRIESTE – Throughout 2024 and the early months of 2025, the Guardia di Finanza in Udine has intensified roadside inspections targeting illicit fuel trafficking.
During this period, a total of 308,762 liters of smuggled diesel fuel were seized. The fuel, illegally transported across border crossings such as Tarvisio and Gorizia, was accompanied by misleading documentation describing it as a “mixture of organic solvents” or “anti-corrosive liquid” and was officially destined for southern Italy.
The Guardia di Finanza’s efforts were focused along the A23 and A4 motorways, where 11 unauthorized shipments were intercepted. In total, eight curtain-sided articulated trucks, two tankers, and one tank container loaded with diesel fuel were seized. For these loads, VAT and excise duties had not been paid, resulting in an estimated tax evasion of around €288,000. The truck drivers involved have been reported for violations related to excise duties. The irregularities were identified through targeted inspections that revealed discrepancies in the paperwork and the nature of the transported product. Sampling and chemical analysis later confirmed the substance to be adulterated diesel, known as “designer fuels”—fuels modified with additives to circumvent inspections.
The use of such products, in addition to causing tax damage, poses serious risks to the environment, road safety, and the engines of unsuspecting consumers. The operation is part of a broader anti-fraud initiative in the excise duty sector, coordinated by the Regional Command of Friuli Venezia Giulia, aiming to protect the legal market and prevent criminal infiltration in the fuel trade. These activities will continue in the coming months to further strengthen inspections and ensure greater safety in transport and energy supplies.
