A ‘frightened’ lorry driver told Customs officers
A ‘frightened’ lorry driver told Customs officers how he drove millions of
smuggled cigarettes from London to Yorkshire after being hired by alleged
bootlegging barons, a jury heard today.
(Wed)
The Sheffield-based haulier was at the wheel of an articulated truck specially purchased by a gang to help distribute 160 million cigarettes illicitly imported through Tilbury Docks from Greece.
Alan Brunton told investigators he had driven north on the M1 and M18 to a ‘farm’ outside Dunscroft, near Doncaster.
London’s Southwark Crown Court heard Brunton made the first trip in November
last year, the driver telling Revenue officers it was ‘on behalf’ of defendant David Langley – alleged to be in the ‘upper echelon’ of the blackmarket organisation.
Brunton told Customs he made ‘several’ trips, the last on February 2 this
year when the operation was smashed in a series of co-ordinated raids, South Yorkshire Police and customsmen swooping at th Dunscroft premises of defendant Frank Watson to seize around 8 million cigarettes.
However, it was denied that Brunton made a witness statement in March to help prosecute the gang under threat of facing a jury himself.
Mr David Cocks, QC, prosecuting, asked customs officer Anthony Sutton, who took the statement: ‘It is suggested you put words into his mouth, inferring he would be prosecuted if he did not agree with you.
Is there any truth in that?’
The officer replied: ‘None at all.
He was just asked everything he knew about Langley and the trips he (Brunton) made.
‘
He said senior colleagues had already decided to treat the driver as a ‘witness rather than a suspect’ and his job was to take down the statement.
Asked why Brunton still appeared worried, the officer said: ‘It’s a natural
reaction by someone called to speak to Customs, anyone would be worried.
‘
But he said the driver was constantly reassured he had nothing to worry about in a bid to at times overcome his ‘distress’ and put him more at ease.
Mr Sutton agreed at times Brunton appeared frightened.
‘Some people are when
they speak to Customs.
.
.
going through the Green Channel even I am nervous.
‘
He denied that Brunton, who has yet to give evidence, was prepared to agree to anything suggested by investigators ‘because he was scared stiff if he did not he would be prosecuted.
‘
It is alleged that in a 10 month plot, smugglers successfully evaded the Customs net to bring 112 million cigarettes into a highly profitable black
market.
A further 48 million were seized.
The operation is alleged to have cost the Revenue more than pnds stlng 28
million in lost taxes – but the cigarettes that did get through are said to
have earned bootleggers up to pnds stlng 12.
5 million in profits.
Smugglers are alleged to have run 20 containers stuffed with contraband from
Greece, shipping the goods under the disguise of importing biscuits and
‘puddings.
‘
In the dock are: Kevin Hemming, 46, of Farm Crescent, Wexham Estate, Slough; David Langley, 54, of Cemetery Road, Dronfield, Derbyshire; Watson, 48, of
Bootham Lane, Dunscroft, Doncaster; and Kenneth Hopper, 40, of Corr Head Lane, Bolton-on-Dearne, Rotherham.
Their fellow defendants are: Charalambos Kelesides, 42; Georgios Andreadis, 41; Nikoloas Papadopoulos, 30; and Panagiotis Xanthopoulos, 36.
They all deny conspiracy to defraud together with John Kalogeropoulos and
Theodoros Savaidis – alleged masterminds who are on the run from the authorities.
The trial continues.
ends
