Illegal Cars Imported - Tuning Workshop Under Customs Scrutiny - German workshop accused of tax evasion over undeclared luxury car imports

A tuning workshop in Germany's Rems-Murr district is facing legal action over suspected tax evasion. Authorities launched proceedings after uncovering undeclared imports of high-value cars from the UK and Switzerland. The case involves missing customs paperwork and backdated duties totalling thousands of euros.

The investigation began when customs officials flagged a third vehicle from Switzerland that was never declared. While searching the premises, they found a disassembled sports car from the UK and a luxury sedan from Switzerland—both lacking proper import documents. The operator now faces accusations of illegally dismantling expensive foreign cars to avoid taxes.

Over the past two years, German authorities have recorded around 1,200 cases of suspected customs fraud and tax evasion by workshops and dealers. Nearly 450 of these were investigated by the Federal Customs Investigation Bureau (ZKA) alongside tax offices, mostly in the automotive and import sectors.

The workshop's operator has been ordered to pay €16,500 in retroactive import duties for the two identified vehicles. However, the third car remains untraced and is still under investigation.

Prosecutors have formally initiated tax evasion proceedings against the shop's owner. The case highlights ongoing efforts to crack down on undeclared vehicle imports and customs violations. Both seized cars were subject to backdated duties after entering the EU without following proper procedures.