A Tonne Of Tobacco Seized At Dover

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Officers at Dover Ferryport are carrying out an investigation following the discovery of over a tonne of tobacco hidden amongst boxes of foam insulation in the back of a lorry. The revenue evaded on the goods was about £125,000.

UK Border Agency officials had searched the lorry at Dover's Eastern Docks after it had arrived on a ferry from France on Sunday (28 February 2010). The driver of the lorry, Julius Rigo, a 36 year old Croatian man, who lives in Italy, was arrested, interviewed and subsequently charged with attempting to smuggle the tobacco into the UK. He was due to appear at Dover Magistrates Court today.

Bob Gaiger, HM Revenue & Customs spokesman in the South East said: "This was a huge quantity of tobacco - enough to make two million cigarettes. Revenue & Customs takes a very serious view of cigarette and tobacco smuggling. It is not a harmless tax fiddle. This type of activity harms honest businesses and costs the UK billions of pounds in lost revenue that ends up lining the pockets of criminals instead of funding vital public services".