A WARRINGTON man caught storing and selling illicit tobacco and alcohol was sentenced after having £24,500 in cash forfeited to the Crown under Proceeds of Crime legislation.
John Calder, aged 57, of Fisher Avenue, Warrington was arrested by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers at a storage unit in February last year where hand rolling tobacco (HRT), smuggled cigarettes, illicit wine and spirits were discovered. Further goods were found in his van.
HMRC’s Assistant Director of Criminal Investigations Mike O’Grady said: “This is not the first time we have caught Calder with smuggled goods. The evaded UK Duty and VAT for the seized items amounted to £5,000, however, the large amount of cash seized and the evidence in the sales book indicated his continued ongoing criminal activity and trading.
“HMRC teams operate across the North West to disrupt this illicit trade and we will continue to work closely with other agencies to tackle tobacco and alcohol smuggling at street level and to protect legitimate businesses. Anyone with information about the storage or sale of illegal tobacco can contact the Customs hotline on 0800 59 5000.”
Judge David Hale, sentencing Calder to six months prison, suspended for two years, at Warrington Crown Court, said the repeat offender was “not an honest man but a chancer and a ‘Del boy’ character.”
The Judge went on to explain that the sentence was suspended only because the former market trader had produced evidence that he had to undergo a medical operation in the near future.
Officers from HMRC and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) were checking premises in Warrington with the help of a specially trained tobacco detection dog. The dog alerted the search officers to the location and when Calder arrived in his vehicle more alcohol and a “sales book” were found. In total 6.65 kilos of HRT, 19,480 cigarettes, 48 litres of still wine and 54.6 litres of spirits were seized from the lock up and van.
In the lock up, HMRC officers also found £24,000 in notes and £500 in coins hidden in separate containers.
Calder was also made the subject of a 12-month supervision order.
A WARRINGTON man caught storing and selling illicit tobacco and alcohol
was sentenced after having £24,500 in cash forfeited to the Crown under
Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Fraudster forfeits £24,500
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About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
