Illegal booze stash found

SEARCH REVEALS 45,000 LITRES OF LAGER HIDDEN BY BUILDER IN HOUNSLOW LOCK UP

A BUILDER from Hayes hid more than 45,000 litres of alcohol in a secret lock-up in Hounslow to dodge a £60,000 tax bill.

Dilbagh Singh Dhillon had 46,318 litres of alcohol stashed in an industrial unit which was raided by HMRC officers in September 2016.

The stash included thousands of cans of Carlsberg, Budweiser, Fosters, Coors Light, Heineken, Kronenbourg, Skol Super, Oranjeboom, San Miguel, Tyskie, Red Stripe and Stella Artois.

The industrial unit was owned by 33-year-old Sartaj Singh Gill from High Wycombe.

Inside the unit, officers also found a diary which contained detailed recordings of orders for alcohol and cash payments.

Dhillon, a 39-year-old builder from Hayes End Drive, Hayes, admitted the diary was his when he was questioned, but claimed that the entries made in the book were by someone else.

A handwriting expert was called in and they analysed that Dhillon was in fact lying, and that the writing was his.

Gill tried to explain away the issue by claiming that a man had rented out his industrial unit, but investigators at HMRC were able to see through his fake story and he admitted to having provided a false witness statement.

Dhillon pleaded guilty to duty evasion and Gill admitted perverting the course of justice at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court.

They were both sentenced on Monday August 6.

Dhillon received a prison sentence of two years and four months, while Gill of Marlow Road was given a 13-month sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Simon Kiefer, assistant director of the fraud investigation service at HMRC, said: “Dhillon was stealing from the taxpayer and undercutting legitimate traders.

“Money that should have been going to vital public services was going into his pocket.

“Gill lied and tried to pervert the course of justice. They’ve now been found guilty and we can begin working on getting that money back.

“We urge any member of the public who may have information about anyone committing tax fraud to get in contact with us by calling 0800 788 887.”

The lock-up contained a total of 46,318 litres of alcohol