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Use of customs (symbolic image)

Photo: Stefan Sauer / dpa

Customs in several federal states have launched a large-scale operation against suspected illegal work on construction sites. More than 800 emergency services searched 90 residential and business premises in the four federal states of Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia on Wednesday, as the main customs office in Gießen, Hesse, announced. Ten people were arrested in the Rhine-Main area.

According to the information, these were nine men and one woman from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany and Montenegro between the ages of 28 and 57. One of them had already served a prison sentence for similar crimes, it was said. Those arrested were brought before the magistrate.

Estimated damage of 10.4 million euros

The investigation has so far focused on 34 suspects. During extensive undercover investigations, it emerged that the suspected groups of perpetrators were involved in a so-called chain fraud network involving several companies. According to the information, illicit money is generated using fictitious invoices for construction work not provided and fake payments in order to pay illegal workers and generate profits.

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The Darmstadt public prosecutor's office accuses the alleged gang of commercial fraud and evasion of taxes and social security contributions amounting to millions. Customs officials are currently assuming damage of 10.4 million euros, it said.

Cash detection dogs in action

In order to secure assets, arrests totaling more than nine million euros were also carried out on Wednesday, for which accounts were seized and bank lockers were searched. According to the statement, cash-sniffing dogs were also on duty. The emergency services also confiscated 75,000 euros in cash, several weapons and ammunition as well as four expensive vehicles.

In addition to investigators from the Illegal Work Financial Control Department at the main customs offices in Giessen and Darmstadt, forces from the tax investigation department, the federal police and the Darmstadt public prosecutor's office were also involved in the raid.

bbr/AFP