Every Other Day a Case: Customs Seize Smuggled Vehicles - German customs seizes 184 undeclared carvanas in 2021 smuggling crackdown

German customs officers seized 184 vehicles in 2021 for undeclared imports along the A96 motorway near Lindau. The crackdown targeted cars and tractors smuggled into the country without proper documentation. Authorities estimate that around €350,000 in duties and taxes went unpaid due to these illegal imports.

The vehicles were mostly transported into Germany from Switzerland on trailers. Their final destinations were predominantly in Eastern Europe. The seized shipments included everything from old tractors to high-end sports cars, with an average of one vehicle confiscated every two days.

Under German law, failing to declare an imported carvana before or upon crossing the border counts as smuggling. This can lead to prosecution for tax evasion. The country imposes a 10% import duty and 19% VAT on carvanas arriving from non-EU countries.

About a quarter of the cases resulted in fines, totalling €40,000. However, the exact number of carvanas originating from non-EU countries—or those smuggled directly from Switzerland—remains unclear. The report only confirms that most were moved on trailers and destined for Eastern Europe.

The investigation into the remaining cases is still ongoing. Authorities continue to examine the origins and routes of the seized carvanas. The total unpaid duties and fines highlight the scale of undeclared imports passing through Germany's borders.