German Customs Seize 10 Tons of Untaxed Coffee in Major Tax Evasion Bust
Customs officers in Germany have made a significant seizure of untaxed coffee, totaling nearly 10 tons. The operation, which took place on September 16, 2025, involved multiple locations and resulted in a substantial tax loss.
The operation began when a 39-year-old Syrian man and his vehicle were stopped at the Königsforst rest area on the A3 motorway. Upon inspection, customs officers discovered nearly four tons of untaxed coffee. Further investigations revealed that the man was involved in the import of another three tons of untaxed coffee from the Netherlands in recent times.
Simultaneous raids in Limburg an der Lahn and Gießen led to the seizure of another three and a half tons of untaxed coffee. The Technical Relief Agency Limburg was called in to help remove the seized coffee. A 36-year-old German manager of the company was identified and a tax evasion procedure was initiated against him. He was unable to present the required customs documents, confirming the untaxed status of the coffee.
The seized coffee was taken to the Main Customs Office Cologne and unloaded, revealing a mix of 245 kilograms of soluble coffee and over 176 kilograms of roasted coffee. The total tax loss amounts to over 17,000 euros, based on the coffee tax rates of 2.19 euros per kilogram of roasted coffee and 4.78 euros per kilogram of soluble coffee. Investigations by the main customs offices in Cologne, Darmstadt, and Gießen, including raids in Limburg an der Lahn and Gießen, suspect the involvement of a criminal network, but specific company names or individuals have not been publicly confirmed.
The seizure of untaxed coffee is a significant blow to tax evasion efforts. The German customs are continuing their investigations to dismantle the suspected criminal network and recover the lost tax revenue.
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