1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164 
Huge booze hit in Customs op
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• More than 50 tractors and trailers have been seized in raids across the UK by Customs officers investigating a huge alcohol diversion scam.
Operation Mousetrap took place over three consecutive weekends beginning on Sunday 19 January 2003 and involved Customs officers visiting premises in North Kent and Berkshire, West Yorkshire and the Midlands.
In total, Customs seized 36 tractor units and 16 trailers— from 30 premises—that it believes have been used to transport alcohol destined for the UK home market without the duty being paid. One trailer has also been detained pending further investigation.
The scam involves picking up alcohol (duty unpaid) from bonded warehouses for apparent export. However, rather than leaving the country, the booze finds its way into UK off-licences where it is sold at full, duty-included prices.
In this investigation, Customs was looking for vehicles directly involved in what they believe to be a huge pan-European excise fraud that has already cost the UK government £30m in lost revenue.
Customs is refusing to name any of the hauliers involved, claiming it is too soon into their investigations.
Graham Hooker, head of detection in the South region, says: "This phase of the operation is to tackle the hauliers who facilitate fraudulent activity Customs determination to target and disrupt this illegal trade sends out a strong message to those who are complicit in the diversion of alcohol into the illicit UK market."
• Emal: milesbrignall@bkieyender.camk