Ludwigshafen

CUSTOMS-F: Frankfurt customs investigation busts illegal shisha tobacco factories – More than 2.2 tons of untaxed hookah tobacco seized. The investigators confiscated around 2,250 kilograms of untaxed water pipe tobacco, 9,850 untaxed cigarettes and 14,000 euros in cash from searched warehouses.

“In addition to the 2.2 tons of untaxed hookah tobacco, the customs forces also seized extensive production materials for the production of other illegal shisha tobacco, including canisters of glycerin, flavorings, raw tobacco and counterfeit packaging from well-known manufacturers. The resulting tax damage is currently estimated at 680,000 euros “, said Carina Orth, press spokeswoman for the Frankfurt am Main customs investigation office.

With the raw materials seized on site, the suspects could have produced a further 6,000 kilograms of untaxed water pipe tobacco.

The investigations, led by the Kaiserslautern public prosecutor’s office, are directed against two groups of perpetrators from Ludwigshafen am Rhein, the Rhein-Pfalz district, the Mainz-Bingen district and the Neckar-Odenwald district. They are accused of gang and commercial tax evasion as well as tax stealing in connection with the illegal production and trade of untaxed water pipe tobacco and cigarettes.

The ten suspects, aged between 20 and 50, were initially tracked down by a complaint about the alleged importation of a significant amount of cigarettes from Poland.

The operation was supported by forces from the main customs offices in Karlsruhe and Koblenz as well as the Stuttgart customs investigation office. The removal of the seized evidence took place with the involvement of the Technical Relief Organization – Koblenz and Ludwigshafen am Rhein local association.

The Frankfurt am Main customs investigation office, Kaiserslautern headquarters, is conducting further investigations on behalf of the Kaiserslautern public prosecutor’s office.

Further information

Water pipe tobacco and cigarettes are subject to tobacco tax in the Federal Republic of Germany as so-called excise goods. Tobacco products within the meaning of the Tobacco Tax Act may only be offered for sale and sold or purchased in Germany if they have been properly taxed here (in the tax territory of the Federal Republic of Germany). This can be seen from the German tax stamps. Anyone who purchases tobacco products for which tobacco tax has been evaded with the intention of enriching themselves or procures them for themselves or a third party, or sells or helps sell these untaxed tobacco products, is committing criminal commercial tax fraud.

Please send inquiries to:

Customs Investigation Office Frankfurt am Main
Press spokesperson
Carina Orth
Phone: 069/50775-133
E-Mail: presse@zfaf.bund.de
www.zoll.de

Original content from: Customs Investigation Office Frankfurt am Main transmitted by news aktuell

2024-02-24 01:53:46
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