German customs crackdown on illicit goods

German customs officials have continued a coordinated crackdown on illegal cigarette production and counterfeit textiles. In July 2026, raids in Haldensleben, Saxony‑Anhalt seized about eight million untaxed cigarettes, 40 tonnes of raw tobacco and over 300 pallets of production material, with tax losses now estimated at €1.5 million for the cigarettes and €3.8 million for the tobacco. The same month, an inspection of a coach on the A8 near Augsburg uncovered 8,280 illegal cigarettes and 144 pieces of counterfeit clothing, leading to trademark‑infringement charges against the Turkish driver and passengers. Parallel operations in North‑Rhine‑Westphalia (Erkrath, Hilden, Langenfeld and surrounding towns) confiscated more than ten million untaxed cigarettes and €50,000 in cash, with prosecutors citing up to €8 million in lost tax revenue.

In early August, customs agents in Regensburg stopped a Bulgarian‑registered car and trailer near Waidhaus, finding 17,320 untaxed cigarettes worth roughly €3,691 in lost taxes; the 23‑year‑old driver now faces prosecution under the tobacco tax law. The same office also prosecuted a scrap‑dealer for three years of undeclared earnings, resulting in a suspended one‑year prison sentence and repayment of €45,000 in benefits.

These actions illustrate an expanding, multi‑regional effort to dismantle smuggling networks and related fraud across Germany.