Customs makes headway in north Scotland crackdown

A week-long Customs operation in north east Scotland has resulted in seizures of foodstuffs and fake goods at Aberdeen airport, cigarettes at Peterhead and vehicles running on 'red diesel' at Crimond stock car meeting.

Over 141 kgs of meat, fish, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, along with counterfeit clothing, over 400 fake DVDs, and nearly 130,000 cigarettes were seized at the airport alone.

A further 10,000 cigarettes were seized from a Jamaican registered cargo vessel in Peterhead after a spot check on Sunday 24th August by one of Customs' mobile detection teams. The cigarettes were concealed in the engine room with a view to selling them in the UK at the first opportunity and making a substantial profit at the expense of local shopkeepers and the taxpayer. The vessel was seized and restored on payment of £500.

In a combined operation commenced on Sunday with Grampian Police and the Vehicle Inspectorate at a stock car meeting, 40 vehicles were tested and two were found to be running on 'red diesel'. The two vehicles were seized and restored on payment of a total £1000.

Customs North of Scotland Detection manager Graham Gauld said: "At Aberdeen airport we are particularly alert to foodstuffs being carried by passengers arriving from non-EU countries via Paris, Heathrow or Gatwick.

"It is important the travelling public know about the strict controls on bringing in meat, milk, fish, shellfish, plants, and their products, as they can carry animal and plant pests and diseases.

"We have been carrying out checks for drugs using recently installed Ionscan technology - this latest method is used to detect traces of prohibited substances. Our mobile detection teams have also been protecting north east shopkeepers from the illegal tobacco trade."

(gmcg)