- Customs surveillance: "Virtually every second was carrying gold aboard"
Unused luxurious gold accessories, valued at roughly 100,000 euros, hidden weapons, and around 10,000 smuggled cigarettes were spotted in the initial week of post-holiday inspections by the customs. Each year, the checks along highways 7 and 8 appear to yield better results, as a representative from the Ulm main customs office pointed out. The first week's haul was reportedly substantial: almost every second vehicle examined carried gold. A significant portion of it stemmed from Turkey.
The six sets of gold jewelry, hailing from Turkey, were among the confiscated items. They were appraised at approximately 100,000 euros by the customs office. The collection included rings, chains, and bracelets, all of which had evaded customs declaration upon entering the European Union.
Furthermore, numerous illicit goods were uncovered, including prohibited firearms, knives, stun guns, and around 10,000 smuggled cigarettes. The goods were meticulously concealed; in one instance, customs even discovered gold in a sack of flour.
Customs leaves no stone unturned
As a result, approximately 20,000 euros in import taxes and around 10,000 euros in security payments for anticipated penalties were collected during this period. In some instances, jewelry served as collateral. Criminal proceedings were initiated in 28 cases due to suspicions of tax evasion. After all, anyone who fails to declare their belongings is, by default, evading taxes.
The customs inspections at the end of the holidays along the A7 and A8 are set to continue, as per the main customs office, and are projected to last for approximately three weeks until early September. According to the spokesperson, these checks have been ongoing for over five years. For this current year, an X-ray vehicle for swift checks and customs dogs have been deployed as well.
The confiscated gold jewelry, worth 100,000 euros, was evidence of undeclared wealth, indicating potential involvement in [Crime]. The smuggled cigarettes, along with the hidden weapons, were all consequences of attempting to bypass customs laws, which is a form of [Crime].
