Customs prepares a Christmas crackdown

01 January 2000
Customs prepares a Christmas crackdown

RESTAURANTS, pubs and hotels are to be included in a Christmas crackdown on smuggled alcohol and tobacco.

Resources given to Customs and Excise, including 100 more staff, will enable it to step up the pressure on those selling products on which they have not paid duty.

"Your average restaurant or hotel is not usually involved in this, but there will clearly be some that will be tempted, and where we have specific information we will check them out," said a spokesman.

Teams of officers will be raiding premises in an effort to cause "widespread disruption" to the people involved in the fraud.

Customs, which prosecuted 500 businesses last year, is particularly keen to target London and the North-east in the run-up to Christmas and has warned that it will use every opportunity to revoke licences.

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