Main Customs Office Potsdam Finds €20M in Damages in 2023
The Financial Control Black Work of the Main Customs Office Potsdam has revealed a significant increase in detected damages, totalling 20,117,466 euros in 2023. This is a substantial rise from the previous year. The investigations led to numerous criminal and administrative offence proceedings, along with severe penalties including fines and imprisonment.
The work, active across various districts and cities in Brandenburg, Germany, primarily focused on the construction industry, hotels and restaurants, and building cleaning. It uncovered a wide range of offences, such as unpaid social security contributions, improperly received social benefits, and underpayment of minimum wage. The investigations resulted in 2,128 criminal proceedings and 568 administrative offence proceedings, with courts imposing fines totalling 377,741 euros and imprisonment of 24 months.
The total value of warning fines, fines, and confiscation orders reached 530,370 euros. Despite the decrease in the number of employers and people checked compared to the previous year, the detected damage sum increased significantly. The Main Customs Office Potsdam can provide further details.
The Financial Control Black Work's efforts in 2023 have highlighted the ongoing issue of labour market fraud and social security offences in Brandenburg. The detected damage of over 20 million euros underscores the importance of their work in protecting workers' rights and ensuring fair competition.
