Cigarette smuggling ring smashed.

28 Jun 2006 02:45 PM

5 people were found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of their involvement in the large scale smuggling of cigarettes and alcohol into the UK. The duty and tax evaded amounted to over three million pounds.

The gang was assisted by two corrupt customs officers who earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. Former customs officers Paul Weaver and Steven Phillips abused their positions at Ramsgate Port to allow vehicles into the UK which they knew to contain illicit goods on which excise duty was payable.

Senior Investigation Officer John Cooper said:

"An organised, sophisticated criminal group sought to circumvent Customs controls with the assistance of corrupt Customs officers. Corrupt officers are extremely rare and HM Revenue & Customs will not tolerate corruption of any sort. Where there is evidence of criminal activity, we always take prompt and appropriate action.

"Today's convictions are the culmination of over three years of intense investigation which has resulted in the complete dismantling of this criminal organisation."

Luke Whitworth was the link between the corrupt officers and the outside smuggling organisation managed by Brian Murray.

Luke Whitworth passed Weaver and Phillips details of vehicles and drivers to be used in illicit importations. eHe then organised and arranged payment to Weaver and Phillips for facilitating the crime.

David Elvy worked closely with Murray and used his extensive contacts in the haulage industry to recruit transport companies and drivers willing to carry the illicit loads. Richard Pusey was a driver responsible for one of the importations.

Paul Farmer used the smuggling facility offered by Murray to smuggle cigarettes into the UK.

Defendants will be sentenced at a later date.

This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority, which reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution of all HMRC cases in England & Wales.

Notes for editors

1. Charges:

Count 1
CONSPIRACY TO CONTRAVENE SECTION 170 OF THE CUSTOMS & EXCISE MANAGEMENT ACT 1979, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

PAUL WEAVER, STEVEN PHILLIPS, LUKE WHITWORTH, JOHH WHITWORTH, BRIAN MURRAY, WILLIAM BELL, DAVID ELVY, JASON LAST, JULIAN ARNOLD, RICHARD PUSEY and HUGH ANTHONY McGONNEL, between the 1st day of January 2003 and the 10th day of December 2003, conspired with each other and other persons, known and unknown, fraudulently to evade the duty chargeable on excise goods, whether imposed by the Tobacco Products Duty Act 1979 and/or the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979, in contravention of section 170(2)(a) of the Customs & Excise Management Act 1979.

Count 2
BEING KNOWINGLY CONCERNED IN THE FRAUDULENT EVASION OR ATTEMPT AT EVASION OF DUTY CHARGABLE ON GOODS, contrary to section 170(2)(a) of the Customs & Excise Management Act 1979.

JASON LAST, JULIAN ARNOLD and RICHARD PUSEY, between the 27th day of August 2003 and the 7th day of September 2003, in relation to certain excise goods, namely a quantity of spirits, was knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion or attempt at evasion of the duty chargeable thereon imposed by the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979.

2. Defendants
Paul Weaver, DOB: 208/08/70. Address: Not disclosed. Occupation: Former Customs Officer.
Steven Phillips, DOB: 30/09/71. Address: Montefiore Avenue, Ramsgate Kent, CT11 8BE. Occupation: Former Customs Officer.
Luke Whitworth, DOB: 17/01/74. Address: Park Avenue, Broadstairs, Kent.
Brian Murray, DOB: 20/01/65. Address: Botany Road, Margate, Kent, CT10 3SB. Occupation: Director.
David Elvy, DOB: 03/02/57. Address: King' End Farmhouse, White House Drove, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9JH. Occupation: Transport Manager. Richard Pusey, DOB 02/05/52. Address: 5 Castle Street, Queenborough, Sheerness, Kent, ME11 5AS. Occupation: Lorry Driver for Arnold. Paul Farmer, DOB: 15/03/68. Address: Autumn Lodge, Abridge Road, Theydon Bois, Essex CM16 7NN and 418 Manchester Road, Isle of Dogs, London.

3. Photographs are available on request from Press Office.

4. The majority of the gang were arrested 9 December 2003.

5. The Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) was created by Royal Assent on 18 April 2005. An independent prosecuting authority, RCPO reports directly to the Attorney General, and is responsible for prosecuting some of the largest drug and fraud cases in the UK. For further information about RCPO, please contact their press office on 020 7865 5666.

6. Internal Governance [IG] is a new function within HMRC which brings together civil, disciplinary and criminal investigations in respect of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) staff. IG's primary objective is to ensure that HMRC's staff adhere to the highest levels of professional integrity and that any breaches of these standards are tackled robustly, efficiently and fairly. IG also acts as the primary liaison point between the Department and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Media Relations Team
Website www.hmrc.gov.uk