View source for Customs Investigation Bureau (Germany)

{{Short description|German Finance Ministry agency}}
{{unreferenced|date=February 2013}}
{{Expand German|topic=gov|Zollkriminalamt|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname      = German Customs Investigation Bureau
| nativename      = {{lang|de|Zollkriminalamt}}
| abbreviation    = ZKA
| patch           =
| patchcaption    =
| badge           = 
| badgecaption    = 
| flag            =
| flagcaption     =
| motto           = 
| mottotranslated = 
| formed          = 1992
| preceding1      = {{lang|de|Zollkriminalinstitut}}
| dissolved       = 
| superseding     = 
| employees       = 
| volunteers      = 
| budget          = 
| country         = Germany
| national        = 
| federal         = Yes
| international   = 
| divtype         = 
| divname         = 
| divdab          = 
| subdivtype      = 
| subdivname      = 
| subdivdab       = 
| map             = 
| mapcaption      = 
| sizearea        = 
| sizepopulation  = 
| legaljuris      = 
| governingbody   = 
| constitution1   = {{lang|de|Zollfahndungsdienstgesetz (ZFdG)}}
| police          = 
| local           = 
| military        = 
| religious       = 
| speciality1 = customs
| overviewtype    = 
| overviewbody    = 
| headquarters    = [[Cologne]], [[Germany]]
| sworn           = 
| unsworn         = 
| multinational   = 
| electeetype     = 
| minister1name   = [[Christian Lindner]]
| minister1pfo    = Federal Minister of Finance
| chief1name      = 
| chief1position  = 
| parentagency    = Federal Ministry of Finance (Germany)
| child1agency    = 
| unittype        = Unit
| unitname        = [[Zollfahndungsamt]] (ZFA)<br>[[Zentrale Unterstützungsgruppe Zoll]] (ZUZ)
| officetype      = 
| officename      = 
| provideragency  = 
| uniformedas     = 
| stationtype     =
| stations        = 
| lockuptype      =
| lockups         = 
| vehicle1type    = 
| vehicles1       = 
| boat1type       = 
| boats1          = 
| aircraft1type   = 
| aircraft1       = 
|animal1type      = 
| animals         = 
| website         = [https://www.zoll.de/EN/Home/home_node.html www.zoll.de]
| footnotes       = 
}}

The '''German Customs Investigation Bureau''' in [[Cologne]] ({{langx|de|Zollkriminalamt, ZKA}}) and its investigation offices are federal agencies that fall under the [[Federal Minister of Finance (Germany)|German Finance Ministry]]. The ZKA coordinates customs investigations nationwide in particular monitoring foreign trade, uncovering violations of EU market regulations, illegal technology exports, subsidy fraud in the agricultural sector, drug trafficking and money laundering.

In reaction to increasing violence, its {{lang|de|[[Zentrale Unterstützungsgruppe Zoll]] (ZUZ)}} was formed in 1997 as the customs [[police tactical unit]] for use when regular officers would be in too much danger.

The Customs Investigation Offices ({{lang|de|[[Zollfahndungsamt]], ZFA}}) are directly integrated into the ZKA.  There are currently eight ZFAs (in [[Berlin]], [[Dresden]], [[Essen]], [[Frankfurt am Main]], [[Hamburg]], [[Hanover]], [[Munich]] and [[Stuttgart]]) with 24 branches.  They are subdivided into functional areas and investigate [[embargo]] contraventions, violations of market regulations, [[tax evasion]] and [[trademark]] violations.  In addition, they have formed many joint task forces with the [[German Federal Police]] and [[Landespolizei|State police forces]] to combat drug smuggling and international [[money laundering]].

{{German federal financial administration}}
{{Law enforcement in Germany}}
{{Customs services}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|50|58|34|N|7|03|47|E|region:DE-NW_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title}}

[[Category:1992 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Customs services]]
[[Category:Bundeszollverwaltung]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1992]]