Claire Harden-Frost successfully prosecutes two defendants of fraud charges

Claire Harden-Frost has successfully prosecuted two defendants of fraud charges in relation to evasion of excise duty payable on tobacco products.  The defendants were found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court on 11 March.  The Judge adjourned sentencing until 22 April 2016.

Customs found 944kgs of tobacco and 151,000 cigarettes at a storage unit in a raid in May 2013.  The defendant Parag Simaria was in the process of loading and unloading boxes of tobacco from his car and the unit at the time of the raid. 

In August 2013 officers raided his father Kirit Simria’s shop, a pan parlour on the High Road in Wembley, where they found 29.61kgs of tobacco and 5,000 cigarettes.

No duty had been paid on the tobacco products found.

Customs put the loss to the tax payer from the products seized at over £125,000