New strategy to tackle bootlegging

Customs and Excise is to develop a strategy that will help tackle the problem of bootlegged booze - but will not be lowering excise duty.

Newly appointed Customs and Excise Minister Paul Boateng told thePublican.com this week he was serious about cracking down on smuggling - but said lowering duty was not an option.

Although the trade has been campaigning for a cut in beer duty, which it claims would lower the profit for smugglers and so reduce the amount of illegal alcohol entering Britain, Mr Boateng was adamant the Government would not be tackling the issue of tax.

"It isn't the level of duty that causes smuggling," he said. "It's criminals that cause smuggling. Duty pays for schools and hospitals and we will not be reducing it," he said.

Mr Boateng added that £209m had been invested in clamping down on smuggling, which will pay for an extra 1,000 customs officers as well as x-ray scanners and increased publicity.

Customs and Excise is developing four strategies to deal with the smuggling of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and illegal immigrants. The first strategy, dealing with tobacco smuggling, was launched last week (June 29).

Speaking at the launch, which introduced the new 'UK Duty Paid' stamp to be displayed on all legal cigarette and rolling tobacco packets, Mr Boateng said: "The message is very clear. You must pay duty and if you don't there are penalties."

The duty paid mark means it will now be obvious if someone is selling contraband cigarettes - and the onus will be on pubs and other retail outlets such as newsagents to make sure no smuggled tobacco is being sold on their premises.

Licensees could face losing their license or being prosecuted if illegal tobacco is sold in their pubs.

But Mr Boateng emphasised that, despite the tough new rules, the Government's clamp down on smuggling would help licensees in the long run.

"This is going to protect decent, honest publicans who want to run their businesses successfully," he said.