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{{B}}A News Report{{/B}} Three men who ran a cross-channel smuggling group, selling cheap French beer, wine and champagne in Britain, were {{U}}(19) {{/U}} yesterday. The men were leaders of an 11-man group which made at least 42 {{U}}(20) {{/U}} on the Dover-Calais ferry in three months. Trucks of {{U}}(21) {{/U}} drink were brought into the country and sold illegally at Sunday market, and corner shops in South Wales. Two secret teams of {{U}}(22) {{/U}} officers {{U}}(23) {{/U}} vehicles between Kent and Cardiff in an operation called "chancer". Eleven men admitted their {{U}}(24) {{/U}} in a conspiracy to avoid {{U}}(25) {{/U}} duty on beer and spirits. Mr. Roger Thomas said it was {{U}}(26) {{/U}} that 70, 000 pounds of unpaid duty was {{U}}(27) {{/U}} between January and April last year when the gang was organizing the smuggling group. Cases of beer, wine and champagne were brought to a rented warehouse in Cardiff before being {{U}}(28) {{/U}} to traders. Mr. Richard Nichols, a former market {{U}}(29) {{/U}} Mr. Qichard Spencer, a shop owner, and Mr. Raymond Tout, were put in prison for terms of nine, four and three months respectively. Judge Michael Burr said the group had used a(n) {{U}}(30) {{/U}} of helpers in an organized conspiracy to make easy money. He ordered six other men to carry out community service and conditionally {{U}}(31) {{/U}} two others who had played a lesser role. After the case customs investigators said that the group made as many as four cross-channel trips a day mainly to a hypermarket near Calais. They went into {{U}}(32) {{/U}} only three weeks after the new customs laws came into force on New Year's day last year. The investigators added: We hope these jail sentences will be a big help to tackle this widespread crime which is causing concern to the {{U}}(33) {{/U}} industry. |