Beer can. Photo: Martti Kainulainen / Lehtikuva
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Finnish Customs suspects a German company of serious tax offences linked to alcohol sales, alleging it avoided nearly €40 million in taxes owed to Finland over a two-and-a-half-year period.
The case concerns alcohol sold from Germany to private individuals in Finland via the company’s online shop between January 2019 and August 2021. Products were shipped directly to customers’ homes across Finland.
Juha Havumäki, head of the investigation at Finnish Customs, said that while most sales were to Finland, the company also shipped alcohol to other Nordic countries and within Germany.
The investigation began following customs surveillance and developed in cooperation with Finland’s Tax Administration and German authorities. Germany has not opened a criminal case.
According to Finnish Customs, the company failed to pay excise duties and value-added tax, giving it a significant competitive advantage over businesses operating legally in the same market. Havumäki described the financial gain as “very substantial”.
Three people are under suspicion: two German men and one woman of Finnish origin. Finnish Customs has classified the case as aggravated tax fraud and aggravated alcohol offence.
The investigation is nearing completion. The case will next be referred to the prosecutor’s office in Southern Finland for consideration of charges.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
