The Finnish Customs alcohol tax fraud case centers around a German company accused of dodging nearly €40 million in taxes on alcohol sold to Finnish consumers. According to investigators, the company sold and shipped alcohol directly from Germany to households across Finland over a two-and-a-half-year period.
The sales took place through an online store between January 2019 and August 2021. Most of the shipments were headed to Finland, though orders also went to buyers in neighboring Nordic countries and some within Germany.
Juha Havumäki, head of criminal investigations at Finnish Customs, said the company’s operations gave it a clear financial edge over legal alcohol sellers inside Finland, since excise duties and VAT were not paid.
The case was triggered by regular customs surveillance and was expanded in collaboration with the Finnish Tax Administration and German authorities. However, Germany has not launched a criminal process of its own at this stage.
Investigators say the financial gain involved was “very substantial”, enough to distort market fairness.
Three individuals are now suspected in connection with the Finnish Customs alcohol tax fraud case. Two are German nationals, and one is a woman with Finnish background.
The company’s failure to meet its tax obligations has been classified as both aggravated tax fraud and an aggravated alcohol offence under Finnish law.
The investigation is now close to completion. Once final documentation is reviewed, the matter will be forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office in Southern Finland. A formal decision on whether charges will be brought is expected in the coming weeks.
This case has drawn attention to broader issues around digital sales across borders within the EU, where tax collection often struggles to keep up with the pace of e-commerce, particularly in heavily regulated sectors like alcohol.
