Customs Seize Massive Unreported E-cigarette and E-liquid Shipment in Germany

Regulations by 2FIRSTS.ai
Feb.21.2024
Customs Seize Massive Unreported E-cigarette and E-liquid Shipment in Germany
German customs officials seized 27,000 untaxed e-cigarettes and over 120 liters of untaxed e-liquid in a truck from Bulgaria.

Recently, according to a report by the German news agency, customs officials in Cologne seized a Bulgarian truck on the highway traveling from the Netherlands to the metropolitan area of Nuremberg. The truck was found to be carrying 27,000 untaxed e-cigarettes and over 120 liters of untaxed e-liquid.

 

Customs officers found these e-cigarettes filled with e-liquid in 135 boxes. None of the e-cigarettes had tax labels, and it is estimated that the undeclared tax amounted to 108,000 euros. After the seizure of these goods, they were confiscated by authorities and a tax evasion investigation has been launched against the driver.

 

The Cologne Customs Administration emphasized in a notice that starting from July 1, 2022, substances containing nicotine, such as the e-cigarette confiscated this time, will be subject to tobacco tax. According to reports, this tax will take effect from January 1, 2024, and the tax rate per milliliter will increase from 0.16 euros to 0.20 euros, further expanding the tax revenue space for e-cigarettes.

 

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