Greek police arrest three after tanker dumps toxic industrial waste into Kifisos drain

Police intercept illegal dumping operation in Egaleo

Officers from the Waste Dumping Prevention Team of the Attica General Police Directorate and the Environmental Protection Department caught a commercial tanker truck actively discharging hazardous liquid waste at a service station on Kifisou Avenue in Egaleo on Tuesday morning, 22 September 2026. The police intervention unfolded just before 07:00 as the vehicle was emptying its contents directly into a stormwater drainage shaft situated on the station forecourt. The drainage shaft connects straight into the underground storm sewer network that empties into the Kifisos river, creating an immediate public health and environmental hazard.

Authorities detained three men at the scene and transferred them to the Attica General Police Directorate headquarters in Athens. The suspects comprise the 41-year-old tanker driver, an Albanian national, the 46-year-old owner of the tanker truck, and the 43-year-old co-owner and temporary manager of the petrol station. Officials from the Environmental Protection Department initiated formal questioning and compiled criminal case files against all three men as part of an ongoing preliminary investigation into the unauthorized disposal of hazardous substances.

Surveillance across Attica and chemical sampling

The Tuesday morning raid followed targeted surveillance by Greek authorities, who had tracked the tanker on its collection run across the Attica region. Prior to arriving at the Egaleo fuel station, the vehicle collected large volumes of liquid waste from multiple production and institutional sites, including the E.I. Papadopoulos biscuit manufacturing plant in Tavros and the Attikon University General Hospital. Investigators found that the tanker transport company had established a cooperative arrangement with the petrol station to use its private rainwater shaft for covert disposal instead of transporting the material to authorized waste treatment facilities.

During the police operation, an environmental specialist from the Ministry of Environment and Energy was dispatched to the scene to draw liquid samples directly from the discharge point inside the shaft. Subsequent chemical testing confirmed that the tanker cargo consisted of industrial liquid waste characterized by high acidity and high toxicity. Following the laboratory findings, law enforcement authorities widened the scope of their investigation to map previous routes taken by the tanker and verify whether waste had been collected and dumped from other industrial facilities throughout Attica.

Biscuit manufacturer statement and transport contracts

Following initial reports identifying the discharged material as originating from its production operations, biscuit manufacturer E.I. Papadopoulos S.A. published an official statement on Tuesday afternoon. The company clarified that the impounded tanker does not belong to its proprietary vehicle fleet, explaining that the logistics had been outsourced under contract to an independent waste collection business.

The specific vehicle does not belong to the company's proprietary fleet. It belongs to a third party company, which has contractually undertaken the collection and transport of wastewater from the E.I. Papadopoulos S.A. factory in Tavros, Attica, to the Metamorfosi Wastewater Treatment Center.

The manufacturer noted that the third-party logistics firm is legally and contractually obligated to comply with all relevant environmental and regulatory requirements. E.I. Papadopoulos S.A. stated that it is treating the incident with seriousness and taking all necessary steps to investigate the matter thoroughly, reserving all its legal rights while cooperating fully with investigating authorities.