Customs controls in Saxony-Anhalt: 4,500 euros tax damage uncovered!

Customs controls in Saxony-Anhalt: 4,500 euros tax damage uncovered!

What happened in Saxony-Anhalt last week? The control unit traffic routes (KEV) of the Magdeburg main customs office carried out controls in grocery stores and snacks on two days and achieved impressive results. According to Magdeburger News , numerous black market products were revealed in cities such as Bernburg and Halle (Saale) on June 4 and 5.

In total, the 702 vapes and 4,149 ml tobacco substitutes had to be confiscated as part of these controls. 31 doses of oral tobacco, the sale of which is not allowed in Germany, also found their way into the canals of customs. Creative hiding places were used - including a gas cooker and a microwave! The tax damage raised by the controls added up to a total of EUR 4,569.62, and several criminal proceedings were initiated for tax stairs.

background of the current situation

The problem around e-cigarettes is not new. Since July 1, 2022, nicotine -containing liquids have been taxable within the meaning of the tobacco tax law. This means that online providers often try to bypass the tax. Tagesschau reports that retailers offer products without a tax surcharge, which means a significant saving for many consumers, which they can achieve when using illegal products. The estimate of the tax damage in Germany due to non -taxed products is around 600,000 euros.

In January 2023, the Krefeld customs office carried out similar controls and uncovered a serious case in which a wholesale company in Moers had imported no less than 177,959 electronic disposable cigarettes without the necessary German warnings and tax signs. The goods were partly intended for the British market, which raised additional legal questions. In this case, tax damage of around 60,000 euros was determined, such as Zoll.de

some perspectives

The introduction of a tobacco tax of 16 cents per milliliter for e-cigarette fluids affects the estimated 2.5 million users in Germany. These users not only face price increases, but also have to consider the legal consequences if it turns out that they consume tax -free products. The union of the Zoll union has also criticized that the customs authorities are underfunded and not sufficiently equipped to act efficiently against these practices.

With the prospect that tobacco tax increases to 32 cents per milliliter by 2026, experts fear that the black market for e-cigarettes and other tobacco-like products could further increase. The developments related to e-cigarettes and their legal classification remain a hot topic.