Operation Undivided

Allan Compton, instructed by John Dance of Clarke Kiernan solicitors, secured a suspended sentence for a defendant who pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently evade duty payable upon imported tobacco. The relevant smuggling ring was said to have evaded in excess of £15million pounds of excise duty on hand rolling tobacco that was being smuggled into the country. The conspiracy was discovered by HMRC in 2011.

Prior to the defendant pleading guilty fifteen other defendants had pleaded guilty, all receiving sentences of immediate imprisonment. Notwithstanding the fact the defendant had previous convictions for similar conspiracies he was, following the production of comprehensive psychological reports, sentenced to a suspended sentence of imprisonment.