SCOTTISH GANG JAILED FOR £19M TOBACCO FRAUD

24 Oct 2003 04:45 PM

A Scottish smuggling gang were jailed today for 23 years, after they were found guilty of evading tobacco excise duty worth £19m. Photographs available (call the number below).

Six Ayrshire men and one woman from Kent were found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on 16 July 2003 after a two-month trial. They smuggled around 175 tonnes of hand rolling tobacco into the UK between June 1998 and July 2000, using the cross Channel routes in south east England.

Details were given in Court of how £87,000 was spent on the purchase of around 3,500 cross Channel tickets, which were used by couriers to smuggle the tobacco into the UK.

Those sentenced are:

John FLEMING Senior (aka Jake Fleming) (56), unemployed, of Nith Place, Kilmarnock received five years, plus nine months to run concurrently for a previous suspended sentence imposed for revenue offences at Southampton.

John FLEMING Junior (36), unemployed, of Wyris Road, Kilmarnock received four years.

Michael James HICKS (51), unemployed, of Dalry Road, Saltcoats, Ayrshire received three years.

James O'NEIL (46), unemployed, of Cranfurdland Road, Kilmarnock received four years.

Archie BAIN (56), gardener, of Barbardoes Road, Kilmarnock received three years.

Thomas BURNS (43) publican, of London Road, Kilmarnock received 2-1/2 years.

Tracey ARCHER (38) care assistant, of Grace Walk, Deal, Kent received 18 months.

Customs spokesperson Phil Rogers said:

"This case shows Customs' determination to hit the smugglers hard in all parts of the UK. Organised criminals must realise that operations such as this are now the way forward, and their chances of being caught are increasing all the time. In one of the biggest operations of its kind, we have dismantled a Scottish controlled gang responsible for taking £19m away from public services.

"If you know of any suspicious activities that may be linked to tobacco smuggling, call our 24-hour freephone 0800 59 5000, e-mail customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.gov.uk or write to Freepost SEA9391, PO Box 100, DA12 2BR."

Issued by HM Customs and Excise Communications Division

Anyone with information about illegally imported drugs, tobacco or alcohol or about oils or VAT fraud can speak to a Customs officer in complete confidence. Call Customs Confidential 24 hours a day on 0800 59 5000, fax free on 0800 5280506, e-mail
customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.gov.uk or write to Freepost SEA9391, PO Box 100, DA12 2BR. Website: www.hmce.gov.uk