Overview

• Hamburg customs suspects the online food retailer of illegally importing edible caviar substitute from Russia in violation of EU sanctions
• Hauptzollamt laboratory tests refuted claims that the goods were inedible and classified the product as a luxury item subject to the import ban
• Investigators allege the suspect used false customs tariff numbers over six years to underpay duties, resulting in more than €1 million in lost revenue
• Joint searches on July 8 of the retailer’s business and residential premises by Hamburg and Berlin-Brandenburg customs units yielded evidence and assets worth several hundred thousand euros
• The formal probe initiated in mid-2024 by Staatsanwaltschaft Hamburg is ongoing as authorities delve deeper into commercial tax evasion and sanctions breaches