| UK. Smugglers contraband on display at London Boat Show |
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| Friday, 06 January 2006 | |
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Customs & Excise news: Visitors to the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) exhibition stand at the London Boat Show this year will not only be able to see goods seized by Customs such as illegal drugs, tobacco, designer handbags, carved ivory and a turtle shell, they will also be able to quiz a Customs officer on a wide range of the work that they carry out: Sailing - do I still have to report to Customs when I sail into UK waters, and what are the procedures? Customs allowances - just how many cigarettes and how much alcohol can I legally bring back from abroad? Souvenirs - what items are prohibited or restricted? Endangered species - can I bring home souvenirs that are made from animals or animal products? Meat and dairy products - are all foodstuffs liable to be confiscated? VAT - can I claim the tax back on yachts that are being exported? HMRC encourages members of the public and the business community to help them fight smuggling and tax fraud, to protect society and the UK economy. Every year HMRC make record seizures of illegal drugs and smuggled alcohol and tobacco. Much of this valuable work owes its success to intelligence gathered from people who call on the Customs Confidential Hotline on 0800 59 5000. Sailors and yachtsmen in particular are in an ideal position to identify and report any suspicious behaviour by other vessels around the UK coastline which may be involved in smuggling activities. Speaking before the show, HMRC exhibitions officer Liz Challand said: "This is a great opportunity for people to come along and see what Revenue & Customs officers do, and for us to talk to local people about our work protecting society from class A drugs, tobacco and alcohol smuggling. We have a very interesting display showing how smugglers try to beat HM Revenue & Customs but this is also an ideal opportunity for people travelling abroad to check their allowances before they travel." Notes for editors 1. The London Boat Show takes place from 06 to 15 January 2006. 2. The HM Revenue & Customs exhibition can be found on stand N1245 in the North Hall at ExCel. |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 06 January 2006 ) |
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