According to the police, a father and son team in Greece were detained on Saturday for selling sunflower oil mixed with coloring agents, which they marketed as olive oil.
During a raid on a warehouse near Thessaloniki, over 13 tons of the adulterated oil were found, with more than half already packaged and the remainder stored in a tank.
Acting on information, authorities discovered that the pair purchased the sunflower oil in Bulgaria, not far from Thessaloniki, and then added the coloring agents to deceive consumers into thinking it was extra virgin olive oil.
The duo sold some of the fake oil in Bulgaria and the rest in Greece. Following questioning by a magistrate, the pair were temporarily released. Samples of the oil have been sent to a laboratory to determine if the coloring agents pose any health risks.
The recent warm weather has severely impacted olive oil production, causing prices to surge. There have also been reports of gangs breaking into warehouses to steal oil and olives, and even instances of thieves damaging olive trees by cutting off their branches.
