Title: The Golden Haul and Smuggled Goods: Results of Post-Holiday Customs Inspections
During the initial week of post-holiday checks by German customs along highways 7 and 8, some eye-opening discoveries were made. Among these findings were lavish gold accessories, worth approximately 100,000 euros, hidden weapons, and more than 10,000 smuggled cigarettes.
Officials from the Ulm main customs office reported that the first week of inspections had yielded remarkable results. To their surprise, almost every second vehicle examined carried gold. A significant portion of the gold came from Turkey.
The six sets of gold jewelry, also originating from Turkey, were worth an estimated 100,000 euros. The collection included rings, chains, and bracelets. These valuable items had evaded customs declaration as they entered the European Union.
Not only gold items were confiscated, but numerous illicit goods were also found, including prohibited firearms, knives, stun guns, and around 10,000 smuggled cigarettes. In one case, customs even discovered gold hidden in a sack of flour.
The total collection of contraband goods led to the collection of approximately 20,000 euros in import taxes and around 10,000 euros in security payments for anticipated penalties. In some cases, jewelry served as collateral to cover these payments. Criminal proceedings were instigated in 28 cases due to suspicions of tax evasion.
Customs remains vigilant
Despite these findings, the post-holiday customs inspections on A7 and A8 are expected to continue according to the main customs office. The checks are planned to last for approximately three weeks until early September. These checks have been ongoing for over five years. During this current year, an X-ray vehicle for swift checks and customs dogs have been deployed to aid in the process.
The confiscated gold jewelry and smuggled cigarettes served as evidence of undeclared wealth and potential involvement in related [crimes].
Insight: The 'Ndrangheta Mafia – Revenue Source and Distribution
The 'Ndrangheta mafia, which operates in Germany, has a wide range of illicit activities that serve as revenue sources and contribute to their undeclared wealth. Some of these activities include:
- Cocaine smuggling: The 'Ndrangheta is known to smuggle large quantities of cocaine using unusual items such as slabs of marble, plastic tubes, and canned tuna.
- Money laundering: Profits from drug smuggling and various other criminal activities are laundered through investments in hotels, restaurants, and real estate, mainly in the Baltic coast and eastern German states like Thuringia and Saxony.
- Gun-running and racketeering: The organization has also been involved in gun-running and racketeering activities, which further add to their undeclared wealth.
Although these activities suggest the involvement of the 'Ndrangheta in various illicit activities, it's important to note that specific details about post-holiday customs inspections in Ulm are not provided in the available sources.
