In 2019, Germany lost more than EUR 100 million in tax revenue from smuggled cigarettes, Oldenburger Onlinezeitung reported.

According to the report, the calculated tax loss in 2019 was EUR 100,562,094, slightly below the previous year's figure (EUR 100,747,019).
Customs seized around 60 million illegal cigarettes last year (in 2018, 62 million). The amount of shisha tobacco seized, at 48,316 kilograms, was a little bit lower than the previous year's figure of 53,485 kilograms. However, the quantity of loose tobacco has increased significantly. In 2018, 2130 kilograms were seized and in 2019 the amount increased sevenfold to 15,702 kilograms, the report said.
"The federal government is simply not in control of the situation because it has not yet managed to put effective measures in place to combat cigarette smuggling," FDP Member of Parliament, Markus Herbrand, was quoted as saying.