Customs searches gas station: Suspicion of tax evasion in Brüssow!

Customs searches gas station: Suspicion of tax evasion in Brüssow!

On June 25, 2025, there was a large-scale search at a gas station in Brüssow near Lühmannsdorf. From 8:15 a.m., ten customs officers combed the premises. The background to the action: Suspicion of tax evasion. Investigations are already pending at the Görlitz public prosecutor’s office. This primarily concerns the import and trade of lubricants and mineral oil products. Details of the investigation were not published for tactical reasons, but the situation is serious as such financial crimes can have a significant impact on the state budget.

The problems with tax evasion are not new in Germany. The tax authorities miss out on around 125 billion euros every year. This puts Germany in second place in the EU comparison - only Italy records even higher losses at 190 billion euros. Tax evasion is not just a local but a nationwide phenomenon that has been criticized for years. The total damage to the EU due to these illegal practices is as high as 825 billion euros, which corresponds to a loss of around 1,650 euros per EU citizen, as Wissenschaft und Wissen reports.

A major case of tax fraud

A particularly serious case recently came to light in Upper Franconia. Here, suspected tax fraud was uncovered in the sale of diesel, in which the state is said to have lost at least 18 million euros in energy tax. In the scandal involving an Upper Franconian company, tax-free lubricating oil from Eastern Europe was illegally re-declared and sold. The background is frightening: Around 37 million liters of fuel are said to have been converted using this method, which corresponds to around 1,230 tank trucks. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung there are already seven suspects in custody.

Technically it was possible to refuel diesel engines with the lubricating oil, which made the matter particularly perfidious. As part of this, 230 customs investigators became active across the country last Thursday and searched a total of 32 locations in order to catch the masterminds of this fraud. Not only evidence was seized, but also counterfeit money amounting to 12,500 euros.

Overall social influence

The impact of such tax evasion on society is serious. With estimated losses of 125 billion euros per year, the state is not only missing out on money that is urgently needed for social services, education and infrastructure. Tax evasion is a serious problem that is felt not only by the tax authorities, but also by the general population. Penalties for such offenses often include fines and imprisonment, and even charges are possible under certain circumstances.

Given current developments, it is crucial for authorities to take even more rigorous action against tax fraud. This is the only way to actually balance out the imbalance in the state budget and regain citizens' trust in a fair tax system.