Feb 03 - £100,000 Fine For Fraudulent Evasion Of Duty

The Stipendiary Magistrate, Charles Pitto, has imposed a fine of £100,000 or on default six months imprisonment on Jesus Sanchez Blanco, who pleaded guilty in Court this morning.

Officers of HM Customs arrested Jesus Sanchez Blanco on the 27th January and charged him with the fraudulent evasion of import duty in respect of the importation of 800,000 cigarettes.

A commercial vehicle that declared a consignment of sanitary ware at the East Gate commercial entrance was kept under surveillance by undercover officers.

The vehicle was stopped at the East–side reclamation area where a preliminary search revealed the cigarettes in plain card board boxes.

One other person was arrested and charged but pleaded not guilty in Court today. The matter for the co-defendant has been set down to the 14th April.

The retail value of the goods seized was in the region of £75,000. The amount of import duty evaded is £54,000.