Customs reaches through: great control against undeclared work in Saarland!

Customs reaches through: great control against undeclared work in Saarland!

Last week, the financial control of undeclared work (FKS) of the main customs office in Saarbrücken carried out extensive controls in hairdressing and cosmetics companies in Saarland as well as in the neighboring regions of Landau and Kaiserslautern. A total of 79 customs officers were deployed. These measures are part of a nationwide offensive to combat undeclared work and illegal employment, which was initiated on March 13, 2025 with a special focus on compliance with the minimum wage, as it Zoll.de reported.

Control in Saarland focused on several central aspects, including compliance with the statutory minimum wage, social security obligations and the abuse of social benefits. A total of 22 employers were examined, 59 people interviewed and 18 exams carried out by business documents. The results prove a worrying extent of possible violations: A total of two administrative offenses for illegal employment were initiated and 14 suspected cases of violations of the minimum wage law were identified. Furthermore, there were nine indications of abuse of social benefits and 11 suspected cases of non -proper social security registrations.

results of the controls

The controls also showed 21 tax law violations. The customs officers were supported by employees of the Saarbrücken Job Center, St. Wendel and Saarpfalz district and the Saarbrücken tax office. The case of a 22-year-old Turkish citizen who was found in a barbershop without valid residence documents and was shown on the same day was particularly explosive. Another incident occurred in the Kaiserslautern area when a 24-year-old Vietnamese citizen jumped from the first floor of a nail studio to escape control, seriously injured.

The financial aspects play a central role in these controls. Since January 1, 2025, the minimum wage in Germany has been gross 12.82 euros per hour. All employees are entitled to this minimum wage, and agreements underneath are invalid. As already reported, the FKS regularly conduct exams to ensure that these standards not only apply theoretically, but are also observed in practice.

The context of the controls

The discussion about the minimum wage has developed since its introduction on January 1, 2015. At the beginning, the nationwide minimum wage was 8.50 euros per hour and was gradually increased to 12.82 euros. These changes not only have an impact on wages, but are also related to the topic of undeclared work and illegal employment, as a study by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs shows. Empirical studies from various industries that are particularly badly affected by illegal employment relationships show that structures and motifs of those involved are often more decisive than the mere minimum wage itself, as in bmas.de is explained.

The current controls are part of a greater effort of customs to actively combat illegal employment. Cooperation with other authorities, such as pension insurance, ensures that the exams can be carried out comprehensively and effectively. Further measures in the companies concerned are to be expected, since the FKS continues to determine and track of violations.