Overview
- Customs’ anti–illegal work unit, which deployed more than 2,900 officers Wednesday, inspected parcel depots, distribution hubs and drivers on the road across Germany.
- Officials say companies often undercut the €13.90 hourly minimum by leaving loading time, overtime and the first drive from the depot off the clock.
- Regional offices reported early findings, including nine suspected offenses in the Kassel area and 55 leads in Thuringia with 35 suspected minimum‑wage breaches.
- Investigators now move from site checks to matching interviews with payroll and business records, with consolidated national results expected by the end of the week.
- Companies including Amazon, Hermes and GLS pledged cooperation, the union Verdi called for a ban on subcontracting, and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil backed tough enforcement to protect pay and public revenues.