Karamat Hussain sentenced for tobacco fraud

Fishwick News

Karamat Hussain was fined a total of £2,000 (£1,000 per offence) and also was ordered to pay a £100 surcharge and £85 costs after pleading guilty to two offences involving tax evasion and storing smuggled goods at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates Court on 18 November.

Hussain, 47, of Marland Fold, Rochdale, was charged with evasion of Excise Duty on tobacco products contrary to section 8G of the Tobacco Products Duty Act 1979 (TPDA), concerning the selling, storing and dealing of smuggled cigarettes and/or tobacco products.

HMRC officers inspected a shop trading as Fishwick News, located on The Walk, Rochdale alongside Rochdale Council officials on 7 June 2016. The inspection included the stockroom above the premises. During the searches HMRC officers found 792 mixed brand illegal cigarettes and 14.9 kilos of mixed brand smuggled hand rolling tobacco. The goods found were seized as liable to forfeiture under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

HMRC determined the revenue evaded was £3,154.61 (including evaded Excise Duty and VAT).

A spokesperson for HMRC said: "HMRC urge anyone with information about the storage, transport or trade in smuggled cigarettes and tobacco products to contact the Customs Hotline 0800 59 5000. If you get offered dodgy cigarettes, call us – don’t let criminals get away with this type of fraud."