The National Product Control Agency has filed several requests for investigations concerning suspected actions in violation of the Alcohol Act in connection with Internet sales. Finnish Customs has now launched a pre-trial investigation.
Because of the pre-trial investigation, Customs says it is obligated to confiscate any alcoholic beverages that have been ordered by consumers from Internet stores awaiting a decision by the Supreme Administrative Court in a case regarding excise duty. Beverages ordered by consumers from Internet stores will not be released to the consumers at this point.
The fate of the beverages will be decided as the investigation proceeds. The duration of the investigation is estimated to be at least six months.
The State of Finland wants to establish some sort of centralized collection of taxation directly from suppliers. The Supreme Administrative Court ruled in late January in a case approving the practice of an Estonian Internet supplier under which customers themselves pay taxes on alcohol purchases.
Following the ruling, Customs officials had been prepared to release shipments it was holding, but cannot now that the National Product Control Agency has requested an investigation.