Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 November 2009
08:3833212#1
As there are so many smuggling stories I figure its best to try and group them into one thread so that we get still get the information out but in an instantly accessible format....so here we go with item one.
TOBACCO IN TOILET PAPER - SMUGGLING ATTEMPT FAILS
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers are investigating an attempt to smuggle around 750 kilos of tobacco, hidden amongst toilet rolls, into Dover on Tuesday (10 November 2009).
UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers discovered the haul in a lorry that had arrived on a ferry from Dunkerque. Robert Kusion (25) who was driving the lorry, was arrested, interviewed and subsequently charged with attempting to smuggle the tobacco into the UK. The revenue evaded is estimated at around £88,000.
Malcolm Bragg, Assistant Director Criminal Investigation, said:
"Tobacco smugglers are motivated by profit. They don't care about the impact their actions have on legitimate retailers. Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activities should call the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000."
Robert Kusion (25) from Poland, appeared at Folkestone Magistrates Court on 11 November 2009 and has been released on bail. He is due to appear at Dover Magistrates' Court on 10 December 2009.
1. Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activities should call the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 November 2009
08:4033213#2
WEAPON SMUGGLING ATTEMPT FOILED
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) investigation officers have charged a man with attempting to smuggle weapons, ammunition and cigarettes into the UK.
On 10 November 2009, Vitalijus Tauskela (48) was stopped by UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers after he had arrived at Dover on a ferry from Calais. During a search of a lorry, officers discovered eight hand guns, 200 rounds of ammunition and 9,600 cigarettes.
Tauskela, a Lithuanian national, was arrested, interviewed and charged. He appeared at Folkestone Magistrates Court on 11 November 2009, and has been remanded in custody. He will appear at Dover Magistrates' Court on 10 December 2009.
Malcolm Bragg, Assistant Director for Criminal Investigation said:
"HMRC investigators and their UK Border Agency colleagues are determined to stop weapons and any other smuggled goods reaching the UK's streets. We would urge anyone with information about smuggling to call the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000."
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 November 2009
08:4633214#3
Jeez thats quite a haul of weapons there..eight more handguns that no doubt would have made it onto our streets and of course with added copious amounts of bullets to go with them.
I wonder how widespread weapons actually are...when you consider a guy was shot in the Alkham Valley last week there over a relatively minor roadrage thing. Calling each other a few well chosen words no doubt would have sufficed but clearly with a weapon in the car an incident way out of proportion happened.
Clearly tobacco smuggling is on a huge roll. Who'd have thought it...that there would be so much reward in smuggling in the humble fag. Some heavy sentances are being meted out though as a major deterrent.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
16 November 2009
08:5333215#4
It has and always will a problem, but you need to look behind a lot of this.
In the height of it all customs tried to take on the big time bootlegger, what was the re action of Hoverspeed? they said customs over re acting and delivered the offended articles to the bootleggers door!!!!
Again if we want to get tough on such things then customs needs the support of the local business's community.
Im pleased the customs were not detred by hoverspeeds actions at that time
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 November 2009
08:5833217#5
Yes Keef I think indeed it is small businesses that are hit by smuggling. We used to have such things as off licences here in central dover but everybody was bringing it over wholesale so the businesses shut. I remember these episodes with Hoverspeed who seemed to turn a blind eye to official allowed levels and fought back against HMRC. Hoverspeed were themselves fighting for survival but their survival fight clobbered small purveyors of wine and indeed cigarettes everywhere, not least in Dover.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
16 November 2009
09:3433226#6
In my previous job I saw how bad it got at close quarters.
gangs from newcastle kilo after kilo off smuggled gear, sent then either around Dover or threatened newcastle shops that they will sell it.
Although Hoverspeed may have been struggling, this was about a serious legal issue, where hoverspeed at the time clearly supported the criminal
(s) this was when things realy got tough, and customs took on the big boys, only for hoverspeed to take customs to court.
This was about taking on the criminal, anmd hoverspeed failed us.
you cant say your tough on crime then do this type of thing
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 November 2009
10:4133238#7
hoverspeed were protecting their customers that were being unfairly penalised for legitimately buying for their own use.
the high court agreed with them too.
it had nothing to do with criminal activity.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
16 November 2009
11:2133242#8
If there were a level playing field then smuggling (of tobacco and alchol) would not happen and traders across the country would benefit. It is because HMG has imposed much higher duty on certain goods in this country that smuggling is rife.
What Hoverspeed did was call the bluff of HM Custumes and Exercises and won. HMR&C (HMC&E as was) imposes a ceiling on what can be imported into this country "for personal use". However, there is nothing written in law to support that ceiling; quite the opposite as we have open borders for the transit of goods between EU member nations.
I'm surprised the HMR&C haven't cracked down on Le Shuttle for their special rates for solo tractor units going across the channel at weekends to fill up with diesel in Belgium. Some local hauliers were saving a fortune on fuel costs by sending a couple of units across two or three times over the course of a weekend. They would come back with nearly full tanks, decant most of it into a tank back at base and go fetch some more. This practice only becomes illegal if the diesel obtained in this way is then sold on rather than being used by haulier.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
16 November 2009
13:4033248#9
paulb and crew,cheak this
realtobacco.be to understand why people are traverling to and fro to buy this stuff.it comes up with a map with shops that sell tobacco and fags,click the top middle flag and you will understand why.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 November 2009
18:3733269#10
Hello Brian
Thanks for your email..took me a while to respond as have been out and about today. have added the live link to your post above but the link doesnt go anywhere. I tried various spellings as shock horror you spelt tobacco wrong...well I never
But the link doesnt go anywhere. Have another look at the link you are trying to put up.
By the way...you almost got the URL thing right. Just type between the two URL boxes, rather than alongside.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
16 November 2009
18:4033271#11
This should work:
http://realtobacco.be/
Look at the advertised prices and compare them with what is charged in our local shops - is it any wonder that the stuff is being smuggled? On the rare occasion that I buy my fags in this country it always comes as a bit of a shock to the wallet.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 November 2009
18:4733275#12
Ah thats the one Phil, well done young man we got there in the end.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
16 November 2009
20:3033280#13
thanks phil/paulb.
when you work all the costings out it still works out cheaper than here.
thanks for that info paul i will have to do that in future.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
17 November 2009
08:0733313#14
As Phil has said in an earlier posting, the only reason there is such a difference in the price, is TAX - pure and simple.
Everything that is taxed is taxed higher here than anywhere else in Europe and probably further afield too.
I believe it's called stealth tax because it creeps up on you and you don't really notice it at the time and then wham, your bank account/wallet is empty or in the red and then you find yourself state-dependant, or you make serious cuts in your house-hold budget.
Neither are good.
Roger
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
17 November 2009
09:1733324#15
roger,thats why this country has earned the nickname of rip of britain,know you no why.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
17 November 2009
10:2833334#16
Whether or not the tax is to high, Hoverspeed may well have found a loophole for everyone, but this did at the time include the hardened criminal.
I saw first hand how it operated at the time,
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
17 November 2009
12:2933338#17
I think what we are looking at is the annual pre christmas purge. Late last night we were given a thorough going over by the border controls both at Calais and Dover. I doubt if i could have hidden so much as a carton of smokes. By the way cigarettes are now dearer in France than the UK, so the French duane are active on the road from Belgium.
beer the food of the gods
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
17 November 2009
15:4333348#18
The French are all shopping in Tobacco Alley, and have been for most of this year.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
17 November 2009
16:3733349#19
thats good to no.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
17 November 2009
17:0433352#20
I tend to avoid tobacco alley and get mine further afield due to the surveillance of the duanne. As our vehicles are mainly used by many different drivers the no plates can be logged as regular visitors and that could bring problems.
beer the food of the gods