More than 1,200 tons of fake or substandard food and nearly 430,000 liters of counterfeit drinks were seized in an International Police-Europol coordinated operations across 33 countries in the Americas, Asia and Europe, an Interpol release said.

Operation Opson III in targeting the organized crime networks behind the illicit trade in counterfeit and unregulated food and drink, recovered more than 131,000 liters of oil and vinegar, more than 80,000 biscuits and 42 liters of chocolate bars tons of spices and condiments, 186 tons of cereals, 45 tons of dairy products, and 42 liters of honey.

Some 96 people were arrested or detained with investigations continuing in many countries, the INTERPOL said in a press release presented by the Department of Trade and Industry yesterday.

The operations, conducted in December 2013 and in January 2014, and supported for the first time by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers, involved police, customs, national food regulatory bodies and partners from the private sector, with checks carried out at shops, markets, airports, seaports, and private homes.

In Italy, an organized crime network behind the manufacture and distribution of fake champagne was discovered.

Material for preparing 60,000 bottles including fake labels were seized following raids on two sites, with three people arrested and 24 others reported to authorities, the press release said.

Europol’s intellectual Property Crime Team coordinated Opson III within the EU, providing operational support to EU countries and third parties with a Europol agreement, Chris Vansteenkise, project manager of the team, said they see clear improvements in the fight against food fraud, especially thanks to the greater involvement of relevant private and public stakeholders. It is important to keep the focus on this area of crime since the more information we collect, the more we realize that this illicit trade is managed and run by organized crime groups, he added.

In Spain, 24 people were detained for illegal work and immigration offences after 4.5 tons of snails illegally taken from woods and field were recovered.

In Bangkok, Royal Thai Police raided a warehouse and recovered more than 270 bottles of fake whiskey, as well as forged stickers, labels and packaging. Officials in the Philippines seized nearly 150,000 fake stock and French police identified and shut down an illegal abattoir on the outskirts of Paris.

Fish and seafood represented the largest company of foodstuffs seized. Some 685 tons were recovered for offences including poor preservation, being incorrectly labeled and one seizure of 484,000 kilograms of yellow fin tuna which did not have the required documents for traceability.

Countries that took part in Opson III: Austria, Belgium, Chile, Columbia, Cote d’lvoire, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, for Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Pero, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, South Korea, Sweden, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam.*

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