Financial Police Find 77 Violations in Targeted Inspections of Barbershops

In one barbershop in the district of Salzburg-Umgebung, the inspectors encountered a third-country national selling counterfeit branded perfumes such as Chanel and Gucci. Such discoveries illustrated the breadth of offenses that came to light during the inspections.

Reaction from the Ministry of Finance

Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ) responded with sharp words to the findings. The targeted inspection had once again shown how diverse the attempts to reduce taxes and contributions are. His clear message: "Null Toleranz bei jeglicher Form des Steuer- und Sozialleistungsbetrugs".

Marerbauer added: "Die Schwerpunktkontrolle hat wieder einmal gezeigt, wie vielfältigen die Versuche, Abgaben zu verringern, sind. Jeglicher Versuch einer bewussten Betrugshandlung wird rigoros verfolgt." He thereby underscored the political will to continue the inspections.

Further Inspections Announced

The head of the financial police department, Wilfried Lehner, also announced further targeted inspections. Those who so persistently ignore all regulations must continue to expect targeted actions in the future. "Wer dermaßen beharrlich alle Vorschriften ignoriert, wird auch zukünftig mit gezielten Schwerpunktkontrollen zu rechnen haben – legal operierende Betriebe dürfen nicht die Dummen sein!", said Lehner.

The inspections took place simultaneously in two federal states. Upper Austria and Salzburg were considered focal regions where the financial police had previously identified irregularities. According to the authority, coordination between the teams and the executive proceeded smoothly.

With the operation, the financial police aimed to send a signal against tax evasion and social benefits fraud. Industries in which cash payment and minimal documentation are common have been under increased scrutiny by the authorities for years. The coming weeks will show whether the announced follow-up inspections will uncover further violations.

For the affected businesses, the consequences can be significant. In addition to back payments and penalties, illegal employment can also lead to labor law consequences, including closures. The financial police pointed out that tips from the public are incorporated into the planning of future targeted operations.