Customs Raids Hotel Industry: 96 Irregularities Found, 12 Offenses Initiated
Customs authorities, focusing on the hotel and catering industry, conducted nationwide inspections on September 19, 2025. The Main Customs Office Bielefeld, with locations in Bielefeld, Hamm, Herford, and Paderborn, participated with 63 officers. The inspections targeted compliance with minimum wage laws and social security obligations.
On Friday, September 19, 2025, the Financial Control Black Work (FKS) of the Customs carried out random inspections in the hotel and catering industry. The Main Customs Office Bielefeld, with locations in Bielefeld, Hamm, Herford, and Paderborn, joined the nationwide effort with 63 customs officers.
The inspections aimed to ensure compliance with the legal minimum wage, set at €12.82 per hour since January 1, 2025, and social security contributions. Additionally, they sought to uncover improper receipt of social benefits and illegal employment.
During the inspection, 250 employees were encountered and questioned about their employment conditions. The inspections revealed irregularities in 96 cases. Further follow-up inspections were conducted, involving a comparison of employee data with payroll and financial accounting of the companies, and further business records examination.
The inspections led to the initiation of twelve administrative offense proceedings and four criminal proceedings on site due to the revealed irregularities. These included 79 cases of minimum wage violations, seven cases of suspected evasion of social security contributions, and three cases of illegal employment of foreigners.
The inspections by the Main Customs Office Bielefeld and other regional offices across Germany uncovered significant irregularities in the hotel and catering industry. The findings highlight the importance of regular inspections to ensure compliance with minimum wage laws and social security contributions. The revealed cases will now undergo further investigation and potential legal action.
