Mercedes owner discovers car was declared as white goods to evade customs

A Turkish car owner, Selim Calap, discovered through the e-Devlet system that his 2006 Mercedes was officially declared as ‘white goods’—such as a refrigerator or air conditioner—to evade high customs duties during its initial import into Turkey.

While the vehicle's chassis and hardware remain original, the fraudulent declaration has resulted in a legal restriction on the car, preventing Calap from selling it. He learned of the issue by chance while checking for traffic fines, discovering a court case that has been ongoing at the Bakırköy 1st High Criminal Court since 2010.

Calap, who has regularly paid all taxes, insurance, and inspection fees for the vehicle since purchasing it in 2018, is currently a complainant in the ongoing legal proceedings. He noted that while he is personally affected, there are reports of potentially up to 10,000 other victims involved in similar customs irregularities.