On a German island, holidaymakers and residents can shop tax-free. The special regulation enables significantly cheaper prices for many goods and services.
On the North Sea island of Heligoland, visitors and residents do not pay VAT. As the “Hessian/Lower Saxon General“ reports, the special regulation has been in place for more than 100 years. According to the newspaper, Heligoland has a special status: customs duties and VAT are not charged because the island is considered a foreign country for customs purposes.
Heligoland prices often 20 to 40 percent lower
The “Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine” explains that the origin of the tax exemption lies in the English rule from 1807 to 1890. When the island was handed over to Germany, these special regulations remained in place.
Prices on Heligoland are often between 20 and 40 percent lower than on the mainland. Many retailers specialize in high-quality products such as whiskey, perfumes or tobacco. Clothing and accessories are also cheaper there.
Which customs regulations must be observed on Heligoland
Anyone travelling to Heligoland is allowed to buy goods worth up to 430 euros per person, as the Homepage of the island writes. If you arrive by your own ship or plane, the limit is 300 euros.
In addition, special rules apply to spirits and tobacco products. Higher values must be reported to customs before leaving the island.
Passengers arrested with gold in their butts
While some people use such special regulations to travel to Heligoland, for example, others try to smuggle goods into other countries using sometimes bizarre methods.
One such case occurred in Dubai earlier this year. Two passengers were arrested at the airport while trying to smuggle gold to India – one of them in the form of a paste in his anus.
The two smugglers, who were travelling independently of each other, had a total of 3.5 kilograms of the precious metal worth around 20 million rupees (about 217,000 euros) with them, reported the Hindustan Times.