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11/05/2007
Two jailed for cigarette smuggling
Two men from Magherafelt were jailed for a total of six years and three months at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday 8 May 2007, for attempting to smuggle 3.9 million cigarettes into the UK and evading duty of over £777,000.
Adrian Wilson and Paul Johnston both from Co Londonderry had pleaded guilty to charges of evasion of duty at an earlier hearing on 16 April 2007.
Joe McGuigan, Assistant Director Criminal Investigations for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said: "This is an excellent result for all honest traders who have to compete against smuggled goods. Our operation was part of continuing efforts by HMRC to stamp out the trade in smuggling cigarettes.
"This illegal activity costs the taxpayer nearly £3 billion a year in lost revenue, money which if collected, could be funding schools, hospitals and other important public services. Tobacco smuggling undermines local retail businesses whose trade is damaged by those undercutting them by evading tax.
“Counterfeit cigarettes available on the black market are especially dangerous and may contain even higher concentrations of harmful substances than their genuine counterparts."
The court heard that the cigarettes were discovered by HMRC officers working at Newhaven International Ferry Terminal on 17 October 2005 as they checked vehicles arriving on a ferry from Dieppe. The officers searched a lorry belonging to Loughview Haulage. The DAF articulated lorry was pulling a refrigerated trailer and officers found the cigarettes hidden beneath pallets of frozen pizza toppings. In total, 3,994,700 Lambert & Butler cigarettes were seized and were later found to be counterfeit.
This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority, which reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution of all HMRC cases in England and Wales.
(JM/SP)
Adrian Wilson and Paul Johnston both from Co Londonderry had pleaded guilty to charges of evasion of duty at an earlier hearing on 16 April 2007.
Joe McGuigan, Assistant Director Criminal Investigations for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said: "This is an excellent result for all honest traders who have to compete against smuggled goods. Our operation was part of continuing efforts by HMRC to stamp out the trade in smuggling cigarettes.
"This illegal activity costs the taxpayer nearly £3 billion a year in lost revenue, money which if collected, could be funding schools, hospitals and other important public services. Tobacco smuggling undermines local retail businesses whose trade is damaged by those undercutting them by evading tax.
“Counterfeit cigarettes available on the black market are especially dangerous and may contain even higher concentrations of harmful substances than their genuine counterparts."
The court heard that the cigarettes were discovered by HMRC officers working at Newhaven International Ferry Terminal on 17 October 2005 as they checked vehicles arriving on a ferry from Dieppe. The officers searched a lorry belonging to Loughview Haulage. The DAF articulated lorry was pulling a refrigerated trailer and officers found the cigarettes hidden beneath pallets of frozen pizza toppings. In total, 3,994,700 Lambert & Butler cigarettes were seized and were later found to be counterfeit.
This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority, which reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution of all HMRC cases in England and Wales.
(JM/SP)
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