Under the investigation, the Stuttgart Customs Investigation Bureau searched the company's premises. Searches were also carried out by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the United Kingdom.
Origin declared incorrectly
The German company is believed to have declared the origin of its steel products as British during more than 100 customs procedures. However, according to the investigation, the steel originated in India and was only routed through the UK before being imported into Germany. Under EU customs regulations, declaring the steel as Indian required 25% higher import duties to be paid. The damage to public finances is estimated at several hundred thousand euros.
High quantity of steel imports
The company purchased more than EUR 2.9 million worth of steel products during this period, while the import transactions examined as part of the investigation started in March 2021 and lasted for 12 months.
Customs officers searched the German company's place of business in Stuttgart in December, while simultaneously searching the seller's location in the UK. A significant amount of electronic data was taken as a result of the search and is currently being analyzed.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is an independent public prosecutor's office authorized to investigate, prosecute and try crimes against the financial interests of the European Union.
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