Tax evasion with goods from China

In recent months there have been repeated accusations against Internet traders with Chinese roots. Most recently, a British citizen who had sold goods from China to end customers in Europe from Bayreuth via Internet platforms such as Ebay and Amazon was accused before the Hof Regional Court in Northern Bayaria.

Taxes were allegedly evaded in two ways:

On the one hand, the value of the goods in the containers is said to have been stated below the actual values. In this way, import turnover tax was evaded.

In addition, when the goods were sold, the value-added tax then due was not declared and paid.

The now accused 40-year-old UK citizen got off lightly with a suspended sentence. The court took his confession into account. Only a minor role could be proven to him. He had founded the companies under whose cover the taxes had been evaded, only as a favor for a friend from China. He was able to convince the court that he had never again had anything to do with the company’s activities since its formal foundation. He did not receive a single cent from the whole process.

Normally in Germany, evasion sums of more than one million euros can lead to imprisonment for more than two years, which can then no longer be suspended.