Review of Financial Management Practices within Customs by Federal Authorities

The Customs Authority, or Zoll, along with other financial control units, conducted nationwide raids on December 6th in Nuremberg as part of an inspection against undeclared work and illegal employment relationships.

During the inspections, which were mainly focused on 17 objects in the city, the Customs Unit Traffic Ways of the Main Customs Office Nuremberg seized 27 kilos of untaxed tobacco products. This seizure is a clear indication of the authority's determination to tackle tax evasion.

The inspections also targeted sectors with a high risk of organized crime, such as cafés, bars, shisha bars, and barbershops. However, no new sectors or locations were targeted in these inspections.

Customs officers checked whether employers had properly registered their employees for social security and whether social benefits were being fraudulently claimed. As a result, 16 suspicions, mainly of benefit fraud, were identified and will require further investigation by the Financial Control Schwarzarbeit. Three criminal proceedings were initiated on-site due to suspicion of illegal residence or assistance, but no new criminal proceedings were initiated for illegal residence or assistance.

It was also confirmed that customs officers checked whether foreigners had the necessary work permits or residence titles. No new information about the number of objects inspected was provided.

Two criminal proceedings were initiated due to suspicion of tax evasion. The Main Customs Office Nuremberg press spokesperson, Martina Stumpf, was not available for further comment.

The Financial Control Schwarzarbeit is still investigating the 16 identified suspicions of benefit fraud. No new information about social security registration, foreign workers, or benefit fraud was provided in this paragraph. Additionally, no new information about the focus on high-risk sectors was provided.

This crackdown on undeclared work and benefit fraud is part of the ongoing efforts by the Customs Authority and financial control units to combat illegal employment and social benefit misuse. The public can expect more such measures in the future as these authorities continue to work towards a fair and honest tax system.