ACS

A Stoke on Trent man was sentenced to three months in prison on January 11 for evading over £10,000 in excise duty on cigarettes and tobacco, which he tried to smuggle into the UK via the Channel Tunnel, Manchester Airport and Portsmouth Ferry Port.

Kevin Anthony Roberts (48) was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court following an investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers. Between April 2008 and May 2009 he attempted to smuggle a total of 78 kilos of hand rolling tobacco and 8600 cigarettes into the UK.

Upon sentencing His Honour Judge Graham White said: “Smuggling and evading duty on this scale is a serious offence. You were making money from this, but were not part of an organised gang. You also threatened customs officers with insidious threats. Due to these serious aggravated factors and your persistence I sentence you to three months for each offence to run concurrently.”

Anyone with information about the illegal smuggling or sale of tobacco goods should call the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”