Tobacco ring middle man spared time behind bars
A MIDDLE man in a multimillion pound illegal tobacco ring has been spared jail.
Mark Wood has been sentenced for evading more than £31,500 in taxes by trading in illegal tobacco.
He was caught by HM Revenue and Customs in 2014 during a surveillance operation, buying illegal cigarettes and tobacco to sell on.
Wood, 57, of Rochdale Road, Middleton, narrowly avoided jail for his part in a £16.5m excise duty fraud that centred on a criminal network based in Blackburn.
Detailed records kept by the gang leader, Iqbal Haji, 51, of Whalley Street, Blackburn, mention Wood buying illegal tobacco products to sell on a regular basis.
Mobile phone evidence also connected the two fraudsters.
Sandra Smith, assistant director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said: “Wood was a middle man for this illegal tobacco ring. He was a regular customer of Haji and fully involved in trading in smuggled goods that damage legitimate trade.
“Middle men like Wood are essential to organised criminal gangs, allowing them to hide the scale of their illegal trade.
“We are determined to create a level playing field for local businesses by disrupting the illegal trade and punishing the fraudsters.
“We urge anyone with information about the black market in smuggled cigarettes to contact us on 0800 788 887. Your call could help us dismantle another criminal network.”
Wood was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was also issued with a curfew for six months, when he appeared at Preston Crown Court in September.
He admitted evading £31,546.70 for his part in the fraud. He now faces a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the stolen tax.