An unemployed Salford man who was caught with more 284,700 illegal cigarettes and 89 kilos of tobacco has being has been jailed for 12 months.
An investigation by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) revealed Hassan Jahangeer 28, of Great Cheetham Street East, Salford, had evaded a total of £77,000 in tax on the cigarettes and tobacco.
He was caught with the illegal goods at rented storage units in Cheetham and Ancoats, in a Moston shop and in his car.
Sandra Smith, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Jahangeer’s criminal activity across Manchester was unravelled by the HMRC investigation. The court result demonstrates our relentless pursuit of fraudsters who try to evade tax on tobacco products and deprive public services of vital funds.
“We urge anyone with information about the trade in smuggled cigarettes or tobacco products to contact the Customs Hotline 0800 59 5000. If you get offered dodgy cigarettes, call us – don’t let them get away with this type of fraud.”
