Italian busted smuggling alcohol in milk and shampoo bottles into Switzerland
Customs officers found dozens of bottles of water, milk, shampoo and schnapps inside the car, which actually contained ethanol.
Keystone / Gaetan Bally
An Italian motorhome driver has been caught trying to smuggle 135 litres of pure alcohol disguised in various bottles into Switzerland.
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Keystone-SDA
The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) explained on Wednesday how the man tried to enter Switzerland through the La Drossa customs crossing into canton Graubünden in eastern Switzerland on May 21.
During an inspection, customs officers found dozens of bottles of what appeared to be water, milk, shampoo and schnapps inside the car. However, the bottles actually contained ethanol: pure alcohol.
The driver was fined a four-figure sum, which he paid on the spot. As he did not want to pay duty on the alcohol, he was sent back to Italy with the goods.
The duty on alcoholic beverages such as ethanol is CHF15 ($17) per litre, FOCBS confirmed to the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA, with an exemption limit of one litre excluded.
The smuggler had hoped to save around CHF2,000 in duties. In addition, he would have had to pay VAT on goods worth CHF300 or more.
Ethanol is used as a legal additive for alcoholic drinks. Pure alcohol is also used as a solvent and disinfectant, for medical or cosmetic purposes, and as a fuel.
Adapted from German by DeepL/kp
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