Zollfahndungsamt

The Zollfahndungsamt (ZFA) is a German Customs Investigation Office. All ZFAs are directly subordinate to the central Zollkriminalamt (Customs Investigation Bureau) which has its headquarters in Cologne. Together they form the Zollfahndungsdienst (Customs Investigation Service).

There are currently eight ZFAs (in Berlin, Dresden, Essen, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich and Stuttgart) with 30 branch offices. 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 police to combat drug smuggling and international money laundering.