- Airport security tightened
- Follows court issuing fine to man who exploited Airport security ‘loophole’
- Carl Sutton regularly booked tickets for flights out of the Island then stocked up on cigarettes at the duty free shop before walking out arrivals
- He is selling his home to repay the £96,210 which it is claimed he made from the operation
SECURITY at the Airport has been tightened after two men were caught booking flights they did not board in order to buy thousands of duty free cigarettes without declaring them to Customs.
Carl Sutton (52) and his friend Paul McDermott (32) were both sentenced to community service this week for the fraudulent evasion of duty after they booked flights on a number of occasions but instead of boarding the plane simply bought cigarettes from the World Duty Free shop and left the Airport.
Now, the Ports of Jersey have said that since the incident, security at the Airport has been improved with additional checks made on any passenger who checks in but does not board their flight.
In a statement, they said they were ‘pleased’ with the outcome of the prosecution of both Sutton and McDermott and believe that it sends a ‘clear message’ to those who smuggle tobacco products.
Sutton, who was sentenced to 180 hours of community service, avoided paying almost £10,000 in duty and was ordered to pay back more than £96,000 which it is claimed he made from the operation. He pleaded guilty to 20 counts of fraudulent evasion of duty and McDermott, who pleaded guilty to three offences and was sentenced to 90 hours of community service was also ordered to repay more than £2,000.
A spokesman for the Ports of Jersey added that passengers are advised of their allowance limits and they are also displayed at the Airport, but it is the responsibility of the passenger to declare the goods upon arrival if the limit has been exceeded.
‘An offence occurs only if customers import goods exceeding their personal allowance without declaring it to the Customs officers at point of arrival, not at the point of sale on departure or while travelling,’ they said.
Steve Le Marquand, the director of legal status and revenue at Customs, said that the case was ‘unusual’ because on each occasion the two men checked in for their outward flights to Gatwick but decided not to travel.
He said: ‘In that sense this is the most blatant example of commercial cigarette smuggling that officers in this service have encountered.
‘The officers involved in bringing this case to court are to be commended for their hard work.
‘It is also appropriate to place on record my appreciation to the management and staff of World Duty Free for the assistance they provided to officers in the evidence-gathering process.’
