Customs Seize Luxury Goods Worth Over €24,000—Exemption Limit Exceeded by More Than 80 Times
German customs seize €24,000 in undeclared luxury goods from Swiss traveler
Singen (our platform)
Blumberg—Last week, customs officers from the Singen Main Customs Office discovered undeclared luxury goods—clothing and a watch—worth over €24,000 during a check on a 43-year-old traveler from the Stuttgart area.
When questioned, the man immediately admitted to carrying dutiable goods. After customs officials informed him that these items should have been declared at a customs office when crossing the border, he claimed that no customs staff had been visible at the previous border crossing. As a result, he had decided to continue his journey without declaring the goods.
The current duty-free allowance for goods from Switzerland is €300 per person, with exceptions for heavily taxed items such as alcohol and tobacco. The value of the seized luxury goods exceeded this exemption limit by more than 80 times.
A tax evasion investigation has been launched against the man. After paying the required import duties of approximately €4,600, he was allowed to continue his journey.
The case has been referred to the criminal and fine proceedings office of the Karlsruhe Main Customs Office for further processing.
Background Information
- Travelers aged 17 and over may bring goods from non-EU countries worth up to €300 duty-free; for air and sea travel, the limit is €430.
- For travelers under 15, the exemption limit is reduced to €175.
- If these allowances are exceeded, the goods must be declared to customs upon entry.
- If the value of dutiable goods is below €700, import duties are calculated at a flat rate. For higher values, the amount depends on the type and nature of the goods.
For further details on duty-free allowances and import regulations, visit *www.zoll.de*.
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