The Customs in Hamburg reported receipts of 29.1 billion euros for the German state in 2018. This represented at least one-fifth of receipts for the entire Customs administration. The real heavyweights in these statistics are takings from Energy Tax of almost 16 billion euros and import-turnover tax of about 12 billion euros.
These figures come after the ‘new’ Hauptzollamt Hamburg, which has become the largest Customs office in Germany as a result of the merger between its forerunners for the Port and City of Hamburg, and Tilman Lewitz as head of the Customs office at Hamburg Airport.
Booking 1.4 billion euros in dues for 2018, the Customs in Hamburg also makes a substantial contribution to the financing of the EU. This total represents at least a quarter of all duties taken by Germany for the EU.
Meanwhile, a total of 1.6 million counterfeits valued at around 54 million euros were discovered. The imitations confiscated by Hamburg Customs consisted primarily of products of the garment and toy industries.
The battle against international drug criminality, smuggling of wares attracting high duties and banned weapons, remains another major topic. In 2018, for example, Customs officers made 5000 interceptions during their checks. Among other, around 700 kilograms of cocaine were impounded.
Additionally, in the social welfare system area:
- Around 11.6 million euros were lost to the system; and
- 2,416 prosecutions were brought.
