Cologne generates nearly 5 billion euros in income annually.
Customs Officers in Cologne Bring in the Big Bucks!
In the world of customs, the main office in Cologne, Germany, is no slouch. The 2024 annual report reveals a whopping €5 billion in revenues, primarily from import VAT, which accounts for around €4 billion! Not too shabby, huh?
But what about the number of customs declarations? Well, they've inched up slightly—from 10.3 million to 10.5 million. And while they're not giving away their secret sauce, they did manage to seize €22 million worth of contraband goods, like fancy counterfeits (bags, watches, and clothing). What a haul!
Drug Control: Cologne's Own War on Narcotics
When it comes to drug control, Cologne's main customs office doesn't mess around. In 2024, they took over:
- 115 kilograms of crystal meth
- 287 kilograms of hashish
- Over 4,000 kilograms of marijuana out of circulation!
Frank Denner, the head honcho of the custom office, couldn't contain his excitement. "Our crystal seizure amount has almost quadrupled compared to the previous year," he gleefully declared. "And for marijuana and hashish, it has more than doubled!" Now that's a success story!
Theified-four-legged friends at Cologne/Bonn Airport were the real MVPs, seizing a staggering 218 kilograms of marijuana in two nights. Go team!
Financial Control and Illegal Work
In the past year, the Financial Control of Illegal Work did a totaldata breach of sorts—or at least, that's how it feels. They inspected over 800 employers and initiated over 5,000 investigations. Sounds like they've uncovered some fishy business! According to customs, the damages they've uncovered in the social security system surpass €40 million—not too bad for a day's work, right?
[1] Operation RapTOR was a multinational drug-seizure operation led by Europol, but it wasn't specific to Cologne's customs office.[2] The European Drug Report 2025 provides insights into EU-wide drug seizures, but it doesn't specify quantities or revenue related to Cologne customs.[3] A customs notification document discusses small seizures at U.S. ports and unrelated customs offices.
In the financial realm, the Financial Control of Illegal Work within Cologne's customs office has displayed significant influence, exposing questionable practices worth over €40 million, contributing to the general-news sphere. Simultaneously, the crime-and-justice sector has seen Cologne's customs office wrestling a substantial 115 kilograms of crystal meth, 287 kilograms of hashish, and over 4,000 kilograms of marijuana from the clutches of the illegal industry, bolstering the industry's anti-narcotics efforts.
