10,000 smuggled cigarettes seized from Walsall labourer
Police seized 10,000 smuggled cigarettes from the home of a self-employed Walsall labourer.
Nathan Wigley was ordered to pay a total of £2,626 by the town's magistrates when he admitted an offence of the fraudulent evasion of excise duty.
The case related to the discovery of 10,000 non-UK duty paid cigarettes seized from his home, in Dartmouth Avenue, Coalpool, by officers as part of an HM Revenue and Customs investigation.
Wigley, 31, was arrested and charged with the offence as a result of the seizure.
The value of the tobacco was £2,376 and Wigley was ordered to pay a compensation order to the court for the full amount of duty evaded, which will then be paid back to HMRC.
He was also fined £165 and ordered to pay £85 costs when he appeared before magistrates.
An HMRC spokesperson said: "We will not hesitate to investigate those who try to profit from defrauding honest taxpayers." Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activity, the transport, storage or sale of illicit tobacco, cigarettes or alcohol is urged to contact the group's customs hotline on 0800 595000.
