German Customs Seize Over 7.5 Tons of Untaxed Coffee in Two Major Busts
German customs officers have seized a significant amount of untaxed coffee in two separate incidents, leading to substantial tax losses. The seizures, totaling over 7.5 tons, involved both roasted and soluble coffee.
On September 16, 2025, the Main Customs Office in Cologne intercepted nearly four tons of untaxed coffee. This was followed by another seizure of approximately 3.5 tons in simultaneous checks at several locations in Limburg an der Lahn and Giessen. The total tax loss from these seizures amounts to over 17,000 euros.
The seized coffee consisted of about 245 kilograms of soluble coffee and over 176 kilograms of roasted coffee. In both cases, the coffee was imported from the Netherlands, taking advantage of the exemption for personal amounts brought in by private individuals, up to a maximum of ten kilograms. However, the quantities seized far exceeded this limit.
A 36-year-old German was charged with tax evasion in relation to the first seizure. In the second incident, a 39-year-old Syrian and his vehicle were stopped at the Koenigsforst rest area on the A3, and a Dutch transporter was also pulled over. Customs officers from Darmstadt and Giessen conducted the checks, seizing the coffee and the vehicles involved.
These seizures highlight the ongoing efforts of German customs to combat tax evasion in the coffee industry. With the coffee tax in Germany standing at 2.19 euros per kilogram of roasted coffee and 4.78 euros per kilogram of soluble coffee, the losses from such activities are significant. In 2024, the customs office collected a total of around one billion euros in coffee tax nationwide, demonstrating the importance of these enforcement actions.
