In recent months, customs officers have twice detained smugglers of Dubai chocolate on the Austrian border, with a total value of approximately €52,000. Such cases are becoming more frequent throughout Europe.
The European Correspondent writes about it.
Dubai chocolate has become popular this fall. Its feature is a filling of pistachios and crispy kataifi dough. In 2024, Ukrainians googled what kind of chocolate it was and where to buy it.
As demand far exceeds supply, prices for Dubai chocolate and smuggling have risen.
In October 2024, a truck with undeclared chocolate was detained on the Austrian-Hungarian border again in November. At that time, 2,540 packages of chocolate, each weighing 250 grams, were seized — the batch’s value was estimated at €52,000. 100 grams of such chocolate costs €10, but it is often sold in stores for even more.
At the same time, German customs officers detained a 31-year-old man trying to export 45 kilograms of Dubai chocolate from Switzerland.
The likely reason for the high demand is its popularity on social media. Dubai chocolate has become a trend on TikTok, causing people to stand in line for hours in stores or check for its availability in online stores.
Experts attribute Dubai Chocolate’s success to its visual appeal. It’s also not easy to buy, which further increases its popularity online. The pistachio filling with kataifi dough shows the growing popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine in Europe.