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:igarette smugglers cost £2.4m in tax
Page 18
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k. GANG HAS been jailed for a Dial of nearly 12 years for ttempting to smuggle some eight -Union cigarettes into the UK, vading £2.4m in duty.
Kelly Williamson from Selston ias jailed for four years and rime tonths; Phillip Tatham from utton-in Ashfield for three years nd nine months; and John Whiteread from Draycott for three ears after they pleaded guilty to vading duty.
Nottingham Crown Court .eard how Customs and Excise nintained surveillance on the ang as the cigarettes were smugled into the UK from across urope between June 2002 and February 2003. They swooped after the last consignment of a million cigarettes was smuggled in the roof of a trailer. The trailer roof had been cut out to hide the contraband and hydraulic lifts were fitted to raise the roof by a switch which was concealed in the bodywork.
Other alleged gang members were acquitted after a trial last year; some have never been caught.
Customs and Excise spokesman John Powell says: "This was a very elaborate concealment in the truck,which shows the lengths that criminals will go to for a profit. On this occasion there were cigarettes in the space but it could have been Class A drugs or anything else.
"Customs is very keen to take the profit out of this criminal activity. I ask anyone who is of offered cheap cigarettes to think carefully about handing over their money as it could be used to fund serious crime."