Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
25 October 2008
07:368036HMRC Press info******************
Lorry Driver Jailed for Tobacco Smuggling
Alexander Kindred, 55, of Glennturret Terrace, Perth, Scotland was sentenced today at Maidstone Crown Court to three and half years imprisonment for attempting to smuggle over 4 million cigarettes into the UK. The revenue evaded on the tobacco was £580,000.
The trial began on Monday 20 October and the court heard that Kindred was intercepted by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers at the Inward Freight controls at Dover Docks on the 26 April 2007. He was driving a British registered vehicle and stated that the trailer had been loaded in Germany with boxes of biscuits which were to be delivered to the Ripley area.
HMRC officers examined the vehicle and its load. Hidden within the pallets of brown boxes containing the biscuits they found a number of white unmarked boxes containing 4,229,200 cigarettes.
Bob Gaiger HMRC spokesperson for HMRC said
"We will not hesitate to take action against those dealing in smuggled goods and evading duty. This sentence will serve as a deterrent to others. Selling smuggled tobacco products is not a harmless tax fiddle - it cheats the Government of Revenue, which can be used to fund vital public services, and jeopardises the trading of law-abiding tobacconists.
I would urge anyone with knowledge of others importing or dealing in smuggled cigarettes to contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000".
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
25 October 2008
09:238039i do not condon smuggerling but under the goverments high taxation polacy i dont blame people who go and get a few cheaper fags or tobacco.the short answer would be for the goverment to bring downthe tax on tobacco produts in line with other eu countrys this in my mind cut the need to"smuggle"tobacco goods into the uk,it will also mean the goverment will collect the extra revenue that they are missing out on undre presant system.the lorry was taking the micky with that amount of fags and deserved to be locked up.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
25 October 2008
18:548045Just a point but the French have now raised tobacco duty that high that ciggies are cheaper in the UK, however on the Belgium, luxembourg and Spanish borders you are frequently stopped by the duane.
beer the food of the gods