A joint inspection of 27 kiosks in Jutland found errors or illegal activity in 26 of them, including cannabis, illegal nicotine products and out-of-date food.
DR reports that the operation took place on August 26, based on a press release from the Ministry of Taxation and Growth. Inspectors visited 27 selected kiosks and found problems in all but one of them.
The kiosks are located in Silkeborg, Holstebro, Randers, Aalborg, Horsens, Vejle and Esbjerg. According to the ministry, the businesses were picked using criteria of risk and materiality.
Among the findings were illegal nicotine products, food past its date and chocolate on which duties had not been paid, as reported by Politiken. The controls covered tax, food safety, business rules and working conditions.
In one kiosk in Vejle, inspectors also found narcotics. Per TV 2 Østjylland, the haul included nine loose joints, 64 joints in tubes, 10 lumps of cannabis and 28 bags of cannabis gummies.
The action also uncovered several breaches of workplace safety rules. Orders were issued for illegal smoking in kiosk premises and for conditions carrying a risk of accidents, DR reports.
In one case, authorities banned the use of food stored in a basement room. The reason was a suspicion of asbestos in the room, according to the ministry’s press release.
Minister calls the findings unacceptable
Minister for Taxation and Growth Jakob Engel-Schmidt of the Moderates describes the findings as deeply concerning and completely unacceptable. He notes in the press release that this was the fourth large kiosk operation of the year.
The minister adds that the overall picture is completely skewed, and that far too many kiosks cheat and circumvent the rules. When 26 of 27 inspected kiosks show errors or illegalities, something is fundamentally wrong, he states.
The control action was carried out jointly by the Danish Tax Agency, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, the Danish Business Authority, the Danish Working Environment Authority and the police. A total of 78 people took part, according to DR.
The Tax Agency will follow up at 11 of the 27 kiosks. Politiken reports that the follow-up concerns undeclared economic activity or suspicion of it.
The ministry has not named the individual businesses visited during the action. Neither the ministry nor the participating agencies have stated when the follow-up checks will be completed.
