Massive Customs Raid Uncovers Widespread Black Work in Freight Industry
The Financial Control of Customs (FKS) recently conducted a massive, suspicion-independent focus check across Germany, targeting black work and illegal employment in the freight forwarding, transport, and logistics industry.
On November 12, 2024, around 3,000 customs officers from main offices nationwide carried out the large-scale operation. The checks were risk-oriented, involving both spot checks and full inspections of all employees at an employer's site. During the process, officers also verified compliance with the Minimum Wage Act and the Posted Workers Act, adopting a holistic approach.
The operation resulted in over 6,500 interviews with employees and around 600 business record checks. Initial findings include more than 1,600 cases requiring further checks and over 160 administrative offense proceedings, mainly for notification violations and lack of identification documents. Additionally, around 130 criminal proceedings were initiated on-site, including cases of illegal residence.
The FKS's large-scale focus check has uncovered significant potential violations of employment regulations in the targeted industries. Extensive follow-up checks will be conducted, comparing employee data with company records. The results of these checks will help shape future enforcement strategies against black work and illegal employment.
