Focus of Federal Government on Financial Regulation

On December 6, 2024, the Main Customs Office Braunschweig led a large-scale nationwide operation against undeclared work and illegal employment relationships. Over 1,300 employees from various authorities, including police forces, local authorities, state tax authorities, immigration offices, and the Main Customs Office Braunschweig, participated in the action.

The operation targeted 133 individuals through interviews and 20 others through on-site business documents. The customs officers checked for correct social security registrations, fraudulent social benefits, valid work permits or residence titles for foreigners, minimum wage compliance, and exploitative working conditions.

During the operation, eleven criminal and 15 administrative offense proceedings were initiated on site by the Main Customs Office Braunschweig, most of them in connection with illegal residence, two due to tax crimes. However, the Main Customs Office Braunschweig could not initiate any criminal or administrative offense proceedings during this operation.

Sixty cases require further investigation, including suspicions of withholding and embezzlement of wages, underpayment of minimum wage, illegal residence, and benefit fraud. The Main Customs Office Braunschweig could not confirm the total number of cases requiring further investigation following this operation.

The inspection involved 60 colleagues from the Main Customs Office Braunschweig and was supported by 61 employees from other authorities. The aim was to protect honest businesses, raise awareness of wrongdoing, and ensure fair competition.

The Main Customs Office Braunschweig has three locations for financial controls against undeclared work in Braunschweig, Hildesheim, and Göttingen. The detection of tax offenses was a focus of the measures.

Despite the large-scale operation, the authorities were unable to gain local specific insights into clan activities. The Main Customs Office Braunschweig could not disclose any information about the findings or results of the operation, nor could it provide further details on the number of individuals targeted or the specific businesses inspected during this operation.

The authorities emphasized that undeclared work and illegal employment are not tolerated in society. They reiterated their commitment to combating these practices and ensuring that all businesses operate within the law. However, they could not disclose any information about the leading members of the suspected criminal clans observed during the inspection.

The Main Customs Office Braunschweig will continue its efforts to combat undeclared work and illegal employment, working closely with other authorities to ensure a fair and competitive business environment in Germany.