Shopkeeper sold smuggled fags
A shop keeper owner who failed to pay more than £130,000 in duty on smuggled cigarettes and tobacco was spared jail.
Hasan Dogan, 42, cheated the taxman while running the New Istanbul Supermarket in Harringay, north London.
Dogan evaded £130,902.65 in duty over a three year period, Wood Green Crown Court heard.
Judge Barbara Mensah told the businessman: ‘Sentencing guidelines are there to ensure there is consistency when sentencing these offences.
‘It is very easy when people commit these sorts of offences to think that there are no victims involved in these sorts of offences, and to think that nobody has any disadvantage to you committing this offence, and that the only outcome is one of profit and greed.
‘But there are victims, there may not be one victim but many victims in society.
‘Many people suffer from those who do not pay their duties or their taxes, because this is revenue the customs and revenues agencies are deprived of and it is something that doesn’t go into one person’s bank account like it did in your case, but money that goes to the general wellbeing of society so everyone can benefit.
‘And if you didn’t stop to think of it before because your mind was focused on making as much profit as you could, you certainly think of it now.
‘You knew what you were doing. You were doing it for some time, you had a large amount of cigarettes and tobacco which you were selling without paying the appropriate duty.’
Judge Mensah accepted Dogan had shown ‘remorse’ and referenced a handwritten letter he had sent to her prior to sentencing.
She added: You were a person of good character, you have now lost that good character.
‘You were accepting culpability at the time of interview. That is to your credit.
‘You have expressed remorse. I do accept that your remorse is genuine.’
Dogan, of Palmers Green, north Londonm admitted fraudulently evading a duty restriction provision.
He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 30 days rehabilitation and 100 hours of unpaid work in the next 18 months.
