From: BankingInsuranceSecurities.com
Four men have been jailed following conviction in a tobacco smuggling and counterfeit cigarette production case.
The usual route for counterfeit cigarettes into the UK is for overseas production – often in China – of product and packaging, shipped and delivered direct into a distribution chain. But the smuggling of roll-your-own tobacco is also big business, often packed in plastic bags and sold to those who like to roll-their-own. Sometimes the bags have fake brands and are sold through retail outlets and other times, they are sold in clear plastic zip-lock bags in person to person trades.
But the activities of Nigel James Barton, Robert John Minshall, William Keith Martin and David Vincent Scott went far beyond this: they imported loose tobacco and when officers arrested them were in the process of setting up a factory to use that product to produce roll-your-own tobacco.
While their crime cost some GBP1.9 million in lost duty on the illegally imported tobacco, the final result of the venture would have been “many millions” of pounds profits, according to prosecutors.
Minshall made arrangements to purchase a tobacco manufacturing machine from a company in Bulgaria. Although he made several visits to the country and contractually agreed to the importation of the machinery the delivery never took place. The day to day operation of the shredding machine and manufacture of the illicit tobacco products was to be controlled by Scott and Barton. Sartin also met with the trio to set up the factory.
The plot was uncovered when over 100 HMRC officers, supported by Police and the Serious Organised Crimes Agency (SOCA) raided premises in Suffolk, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Essex in July 2008. At a farm in Leicestershire, officers discovered over sixteen tonnes of raw leaf tobacco which would have been manufactured into hand rolling tobacco. The duty evaded on this amount of tobacco alone is estimated as £1.9 million. The scam was linked to Bulgaria and in a joint operation, officers from the Bulgarian National Counter Organised Crime Agency simultaneously searched premises in Bulgaria.
Due Diligence Information:
BARTON, Nigel James (24/04/1965) was found guilty on 3 December 2010 and has been jailed for 30 months. His address is 75 Greythorn Drive, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire NG2 7GD
MINSHALL, Robert John (09/01/1943) pleaded guilty on first day of the trial (Tuesday 12 October 2010) has been jailed for two years and has been given a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years. His address is Hill House, 2 Falmouth Avenue, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0NB and 12A The Hamiltons, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0NF
SARTIN, William Keith (13/09/1961) pleaded guilty on the 12 October 2010 of 167 Timberlog Lane, Basildon, Essex SS14 1PJ has been jailed for 14 months.
SCOTT, David Vincent (04/07/1965) pleaded guilty on 6 September 2010 of 47 Thackerays Lane, Wood Thorpe, Nottingham NG5 4HU has been jailed for 18 months.
