A 33-year-old woman was returning home to Germany from Iran on Oct. 28 when she ran into some trouble with customs officers at Hamburg airport. When asked whether she had brought any goods that required declaration from her five-week trip, she denied having any, reports Bild.
However, it turns out that was not the case. “During the inspection, the customs officers discovered a total of 18 pieces of gold jewelry, 16 of which were stored in a shoulder bag with a lock in the backpack,” reports Maurice Douce, press spokesman for the Itzehoe main customs office.
The woman then tried to say that some of the jewelry was for a friend. “What matters when importing goods is not who the goods are intended for, but who is importing them,” Douce clarified.
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The total value of the items was some €15,000, with the woman facing a charge of €3,400 in customs duties for her undeclared souvenirs.
Officials also discovered that the woman receives a citizen’s allowance in Germany. This means that she is only allowed to go on holiday for a maximum of 21 days and only if the trip is approved by her benefit provider. Otherwise, her social benefits can be reclaimed.
Germany has been struggling with the welfare demands of its open borders policy. In its 2025 budget draft, the country outlined standard rates and accommodation costs expected to total €45.6 billion, a far cry from the €36 billion set in the 2025 citizen’s allowance budget.
