Jailed for £50k tobacco scam

COURT: David Adams defrauded HM Customs of unpaid duty

A Fife man has been jailed for 12 months for a £50,000 contraband tobacco scam.

David Adams, 51, of Balcurvie Road, Windygates, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for defrauding HM Customs of unpaid duty.

He had been under surveillance by HMRC officers who were been tipped off about Adams’ illegal activities.

They monitored his movements for months before carrying out searches of his vehicle and home.

Adams previously admitted that between September 12 and November 12 2014 he had dealt with quantities of UK duty unpaid hand-rolling tobacco and cigarettes, with the intent to defraud HM Customs and Excise of £50,000 in duty payable.

These offences were committed at locations across Fife.

The court was told Adams, a first offender, was unemployed at the time and saw it as a way of making money. He had since returned to work as a forklift driver.

Sheriff Charles Macnair said, “In my view this is a serious offence. I can’t accept you somehow thought all that would happen was that they might confiscate the goods.”

The sheriff said Adams’ view, expressed to in the social work report, that his customers would suffer as a result of not being able to buy contraband tobacco was “nothing short of risible”.

He jailed Adams for 12 months and ordered forfeiture of cash of £1,350 and £2,800 recovered in raids.

Meanwhile, sentence has been deferred on another Windygates man, who was involved in a similar scam.

Joseph Ward, 54, of Buenas Vista, Kennoway Road, admitted two offences which took place on May 30 2014 in the Fife area.

He admitted he was dealing in a quantity of counterfeit cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco with a duty of £25,542.33 which had not been paid.