RAF Movers Jailed:
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RAF Movers Jailed:
Three RAF servicemen who were part of a gang which smuggled an estimated seven million cigarettes into Britain on military flights from the Middle East have been jailed.
Hauls of cigarettes were flown into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire in 2008 and 2009 in a "well thought out and professionally planned" operation.
They were then transported to the North East of England and sold on without paying import duty or VAT.
Corporal Stuart Helens, 31, Sergeant Stuart Walker, 43, and Senior Aircraftman Paul Garbutt, 31, all admitted their part in the conspiracy. Civilians Lisa Harrison, 36, Alison McCabe, 45, and Christopher Garbutt, 26 - Paul Garbutt's brother - also owned up to being part of the scam between late 2008 and May 2009.
The three servicemen pocketed up to £30,000 each before the swindle was rumbled, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Analysis of mobile phones, computers and other documents by HM Revenue and Customs investigators found that at least 1.14 million cigarettes were smuggled on flights from Muscat, Oman - evading around £204,000 in duty and VAT. Another six million cigarettes were smuggled in on flights from Kabul, Afghanistan, evading almost £1.1 million in duty and VAT.
Helens, of King Edward Close, Calne, Wiltshire, pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue. Paul Garbutt, of Avon Grove, Billingham, Teesside, admitted two charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and one charge of acquisition of criminal property.
Walker, of Loggon Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to a charge conspiracy to cheat the public revenue. Christopher Garbutt, of Knapton Avenue, Billingham, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and converting criminal property.
Harrison, of Sydney Road, Middlesbrough, and McCabe, of Fielding Court, Billingham, each admitted a charge of being concerned in the acquisition of criminal property. Paul Garbutt's wife Louisa, 36, was acquitted by a jury of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and acquisition of criminal property following a trial at Bristol Crown Court.
The seventh member of the gang, Cpl Thomas Warren, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and will be sentenced at a later date.
How long for????
Hauls of cigarettes were flown into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire in 2008 and 2009 in a "well thought out and professionally planned" operation.
They were then transported to the North East of England and sold on without paying import duty or VAT.
Corporal Stuart Helens, 31, Sergeant Stuart Walker, 43, and Senior Aircraftman Paul Garbutt, 31, all admitted their part in the conspiracy. Civilians Lisa Harrison, 36, Alison McCabe, 45, and Christopher Garbutt, 26 - Paul Garbutt's brother - also owned up to being part of the scam between late 2008 and May 2009.
The three servicemen pocketed up to £30,000 each before the swindle was rumbled, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Analysis of mobile phones, computers and other documents by HM Revenue and Customs investigators found that at least 1.14 million cigarettes were smuggled on flights from Muscat, Oman - evading around £204,000 in duty and VAT. Another six million cigarettes were smuggled in on flights from Kabul, Afghanistan, evading almost £1.1 million in duty and VAT.
Helens, of King Edward Close, Calne, Wiltshire, pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue. Paul Garbutt, of Avon Grove, Billingham, Teesside, admitted two charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and one charge of acquisition of criminal property.
Walker, of Loggon Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to a charge conspiracy to cheat the public revenue. Christopher Garbutt, of Knapton Avenue, Billingham, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and converting criminal property.
Harrison, of Sydney Road, Middlesbrough, and McCabe, of Fielding Court, Billingham, each admitted a charge of being concerned in the acquisition of criminal property. Paul Garbutt's wife Louisa, 36, was acquitted by a jury of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and acquisition of criminal property following a trial at Bristol Crown Court.
The seventh member of the gang, Cpl Thomas Warren, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and will be sentenced at a later date.
How long for????
How long for????
Bunch of greedy idiots who thought they were being clever - wonder if those from smoggyland are related to those involved in the demise a certain monkey.
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Good!
These prats being the main ones but heard that some other units were investigated including a unit at the former RAF Cr***ill. Just couldn't be proved enough for a realistic chance of prosecution.
These prats being the main ones but heard that some other units were investigated including a unit at the former RAF Cr***ill. Just couldn't be proved enough for a realistic chance of prosecution.
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Thanks for the info Nomorefreetime (appropriate as they will be having more freetime now)
Judge Michael Longman sentenced Helens to a three-year prison term, Paul Garbutt to three years and four months, and Walker to two years.
Christopher Garbutt was given nine months suspended for two years, and 150 hours' unpaid work.
McCabe was sentenced to six months suspended for 18 months, and Harrison 12 months suspended for two yearsand 150 hours' unpaid work.
The seventh member of the gang, Cpl Thomas Warren, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and will be sentenced later.
Christopher Garbutt was given nine months suspended for two years, and 150 hours' unpaid work.
McCabe was sentenced to six months suspended for 18 months, and Harrison 12 months suspended for two yearsand 150 hours' unpaid work.
The seventh member of the gang, Cpl Thomas Warren, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and will be sentenced later.
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So, I wonder how many u/s parts and components got bumped off return flights so that these idiots could smuggle cigarettes. The reverse supply chain for R&O components was bad enough already, without this sort of c**p!
Canadian WokkaDoctor
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Gents
I'am a mover and have been for 20 years. I know the individuals concerned and although not pally with all of them, one in particular was a good friend. Yes they have done wrong and are now paying the price. They have tarnished the Service and the trade and severely damaged the good reputation that has been built over the years by all individuals from LAC -Senior officer.
Please do not turn this thread into a trade bashing! Remember this is a public forum and were all on the same side and rely on each other to achieve our goals.
Remember " Per Ardua ad Astra'".
I'am a mover and have been for 20 years. I know the individuals concerned and although not pally with all of them, one in particular was a good friend. Yes they have done wrong and are now paying the price. They have tarnished the Service and the trade and severely damaged the good reputation that has been built over the years by all individuals from LAC -Senior officer.
Please do not turn this thread into a trade bashing! Remember this is a public forum and were all on the same side and rely on each other to achieve our goals.
Remember " Per Ardua ad Astra'".
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i totaly agree with all, about how these so called airman have been deallt with, however, there are surely more drivers and such have got away with a a lot more, but then i am surell pprune will cast scorn on there own ,i doubt it!!,
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Well it just proves what a bunch of gypsy thieving feckers the Movements people of the Royal Air Force really are.
You should all be ashamed.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
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Hooray a proper mover bashing thread. Well it just proves what a bunch of gypsy thieving feckers the Movements people of the Royal Air Force really are.
You should all be ashamed.
You should all be ashamed.
Similar to your sweeping generalisation that all gypsies are "thieving feckers" but gypsies are classed as a racial group......
Good to see the diversity training is working.
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"HMRC’s enquiries began at the request of the RAF’s Special Investigations Branch after RAF Police stopped a van containing 10,000 L&M Brand cigarettes at RAF Lyneham on 30 April 2009. The van was driven by Corporal Stuart Helens. In the early hours of that morning HMRC officers discovered a further nine boxes each containing 10,000 cigarettes. It is believed that the cigarettes were destined for sale in the North East of England"
Taken from the official press notice...
Here.
Note that it states... "Contrary to some initial media speculation there is nothing to suggest that repatriation flights were used to smuggle these cigarettes." Let's hope that is true.
Taken from the official press notice...
Here.
Note that it states... "Contrary to some initial media speculation there is nothing to suggest that repatriation flights were used to smuggle these cigarettes." Let's hope that is true.
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Am I the only one who doesn't really care?
They tried it on, got caught and will do time. It's taken up a few redundancy slots anyway.
I'm sure far worse things than smuggling a few cigarettes have happened in the past and/or are happening now. I'd be more worried if arms were making it through....... it's only cigarettes.
They tried it on, got caught and will do time. It's taken up a few redundancy slots anyway.
I'm sure far worse things than smuggling a few cigarettes have happened in the past and/or are happening now. I'd be more worried if arms were making it through....... it's only cigarettes.
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Whilst not condoning the actions of these people, lets not kid ourselves that it's something new. As a kid I remember my father and friends talking about all the stuff they "repatriated" from Germany and Europe after WWII. I also remember lowering a pannier from the bomb bay of a Vulcan at Finningley Christmas '64 that was chocker with fresh salmon. The aircraft having just returned from Goose Bay/Gander. Said pannier being hauled off to the officers mess for distribution.
There was a scam running in the sixties whereby if you were based in Germany you could buy a Mercedes duty free, drive it back to the UK, register it, then sell it to a relative - brother/uncle whatever, and then go back and get another one.
Pentax's and Nikon's were a fraction of the UK price at the NAAFI in Bahrain. Hop on a plane to Lyneham on leave, with three or four cameras in your baggage. Still in their boxes you could easily sell them and make enough profit to pay for your leave entertainments.
There was a scam running in the sixties whereby if you were based in Germany you could buy a Mercedes duty free, drive it back to the UK, register it, then sell it to a relative - brother/uncle whatever, and then go back and get another one.
Pentax's and Nikon's were a fraction of the UK price at the NAAFI in Bahrain. Hop on a plane to Lyneham on leave, with three or four cameras in your baggage. Still in their boxes you could easily sell them and make enough profit to pay for your leave entertainments.
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The Tax Free car scam was still going on in the 90's until peeps started getting greedy; Hubby, Wife & siblings (as long as they had a BFG Driving Licence) were all entitled to a new car every six months. Peeps were booking top of the range MBs & BMWs for a whole three year tour ahead. After the required number of days of ownership, they then drove them to London's top dealers and getting a free flight back to BFG from London city where their next car was awaiting them at MG Airport.
Then they were discovered and everyone then suffered - only the Serving bloke could have one and then on an annual basis.
Oh the joys of being an OR
regards
H
Then they were discovered and everyone then suffered - only the Serving bloke could have one and then on an annual basis.
Oh the joys of being an OR
regards
H
Last edited by howiehowie93; 5th Feb 2011 at 05:32. Reason: Spelling - see me after school
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Should of locked them all in cells until they had smoked them all 
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There is a world of difference in bringing in a load of salmon, which as far as I know has never been subject to customs duty, or even in gaming the system in respect of the lawful import of new cars, and the outright smuggling of vast amounts of contraband.