HM Revenue & Customs Officers have Seized 2,000 Bottles of Wine

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers have seized 2,000 bottles of wine from a commercial premises south of Newry today. The action comes as part of the department’s involvement in a E1m, EU-wide excise duty and VAT fraud investigation by the Republic of Ireland’s Revenue Commissioners.

Derek Dubery, Acting Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation, said:

“Today’s operation has resulted in a recovery of a relatively small amount of alcohol. But this is the tip of a much larger fraud involving alcohol being trafficked across the EU by organized criminal groups.

“We are happy to have assisted our colleagues in the Republic. Together, we are working to ensure that the border is no boundary to law enforcement, whether the commodity is smuggled alcohol, cigarettes or fuel.”

Duty evasion on alcohol is not a victimless crime; it funds organized criminality. Any company willing to trade in illicit alcohol has an unfair advantage and makes it difficult for law abiding businesses to compete. Members of the public can help by buying alcohol only from reputable outlets, and checking that spirits show duty paid stamps.

Anyone with information about smuggled alcohol, cigarettes or fuel can contact HMRC’s confidential hotline number on 0800 59 5000.

Source: HM Revenue & Customs

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