A large-scale raid took place on Thursday, targeting dozens of individuals who offer ride-hailing services through Uber and Bolt. Following months of undercover investigations, a total of 49 locations were searched, primarily in the Rhine-Main region, with a focus on the city of Frankfurt am Main, as well as in North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, and Berlin.
The investigation is focused on the suspicion of “particularly severe illegal employment, particularly severe tax evasion, and gang-related forgery of documents” according to the Frankfurt am Main State Prosecutor’s Office. Over 150 law enforcement officials, including two dogs trained to detect electronic devices, were involved in the operation to secure evidence and seize assets.
The ongoing investigation is specifically not targeting the companies Uber Germany GmbH and Bolt Services DE GmbH, the State Prosecutor’s Office emphasized. The 30 accused individuals are alleged to have operated ride-hailing services through the platforms from 2022 to the present, employing nearly exclusively uninsured workers.
In many cases, the accused are also accused of hiring drivers without the necessary licenses, with the drivers often being equipped with forgeries. Furthermore, the accused are alleged to have failed to pay the value-added tax on the ride-hailing services.
The total damage allegedly caused by the criminal group is estimated to be around two million euros. As a result, a “seizure of assets” worth approximately 1.8 million euros was executed. Over 100 vehicles used by the main accused individuals for the illegal ride-hailing services were seized, as well as a significant amount of cash, including 238,000 euros found in the main accused’s apartment, which was stored in a refrigerator, according to the State Prosecutor’s Office.