When it comes to supercars, customs are definitely on the case. After the Lamborghini Gallardo seized in GermanyThis time, it's a black Ferrari Roma, intercepted at the Konstanz border in early September 2025, which earned its driver a staggering bill.
Aged 60 and living in Luxembourg, the driver was driving his Swiss-registered Roma... in Switzerland. A detail that did not escape the attention of German customs officials: for any resident of the European Union, the use of a vehicle registered outside the EU is strictly regulated. In this particular case, the car should have been declared on importation, but this had not been done.
The agents quickly estimated the value of the Italian coupé: around 195,000 Swiss francs, or almost €207,000. And the bill turned out to be steep:
- 64,000 in unpaid import duties,
- A further €60,000 required as security for the forthcoming criminal penalty.
A total of around €124,000 paid immediately, without which the owner would have seen his Ferrari immobilized. The man chose to pay up on the spot so that he could drive off in his Roma. But his story doesn't end there, as a report on customs fraud has been forwarded to the relevant department in Karlsruhe, which will have to decide on the final fine.
As far as the authorities are concerned, this is not a first. According to spokeswoman Sonja Müller, such cases are far from isolated, even if the vehicles concerned do not always reach such a high price level. In the first half of 2025 alone, 26 cars registered outside the EU but driven by European residents were intercepted. And that's not all: 38 other vehicles, often transported on vans or lacking customs clearance papers, were also reported.
These cases show just how intractable customs can be in the face of fraud or negligence. The owner of the Ferrari Roma had the means to get out his checkbook to continue on his way, but his wallet will long remember it.
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And if you're a tourist, you're not allowed to drive your car in other countries?
And if the driver has residences in several countries, in Luxembourg or Switzerland, why should he have to register it in Germany to use it?
That's not the point!
With the exception of rental cars, it is forbidden to drive a car registered outside the EU if you are resident in the EU, and vice versa.
The driver is a resident of the EU (Luxembourg) and drives a vehicle registered in Switzerland (outside the EU). When crossing the border, you are required to declare the vehicle at customs, but this has not been done. He has been checked, and therefore has to pay taxes. The same applies to alcohol, tobacco, etc.
So if, for example, a Frenchman goes sightseeing with his car in Switzerland, what does he have to declare at customs? Apart from buying the compulsory vignette, it's perfectly legal to drive outside the EU.
Tobacco or alcohol is another matter, there are permitted quantities.
This has nothing to do with it! A French tourist with a French-registered car can travel to Switzerland without a care in the world.
On the other hand, a French tourist who drives a private car registered in Switzerland and/or crosses the border with this Swiss-registered vehicle is driving illegally. This is tax fraud, and he will be fined.
If I go to Switzerland and live in another country, I'm bound to go in and out of Switzerland. And if I have a car registered in Switzerland and I'm going to drive in another country, I'll also be crossing the border twice.
One wonders how border workers who cross the border every day to go to work with their car registered in France, and vice versa if a Swiss comes to France with his car to work.
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He played, he lost.
He played nothing at all, he was certainly not aware of it and the authorities took advantage of it to scratch on his back.
Es un robo de tu dinero,si el coche está declarado en tu país y correcto o a nombre de la mujer.que importante es si no es robo.
Impuestos y más impuestos
El conductor es résidente de la UE (digamos España).
El coche tiene matricula fuera de la UE (suiza) y es su propiedad... Aqui hay algo raro.
Seria como si tu, tienes coche francesa con tu carnet de conducir es registrado a la DGT. Como podrias imatricular ahi si no tienes residencia ahi?
X eso tambien esta prohibido, dentro de la UE, circular 3 meses enseguida en 1 pais diferente de la matricula.
Los policiales aqui en es lo hacen facil pidiendo 1 prueba tipo cargo de peaje de autopista o factura de parking de menos de 3 meses.
A non-EU resident comes to France with his vehicle.
Is he allowed to lend his vehicle to a French person?
Was ist für eine EU???😳🥴 wir sind nach Italien ausgewandert und habe eine kleine PKW mit 44 KW ich muss italienische Kennzeichen beantragen und kostet 500€ ist das normal ich denke die italienische Regierung wolle mich abzocken 😡 ciao