Customs Crackdown on Uxbridge Road

One arrest and cash and fake goods seized

One person has been arrested and counterfeit alcohol and tobacco were seized during a customs crackdown on shops on the Uxbridge Road in West Ealing.

Intelligence had been gathered that some licensed premises on the Elthorne ward were selling non duty paid, and counterfeit alcohol.

Ealing Police Borough Licensing Officer Nigel Charlton along with Police and Customs officers were involved in the operation.

They visited five supermarkets and grocery shops in Hanwell and West Ealing and confiscated the following items:-

LAGHMANIS FOOD AND WINE, 85 UXBRIDGE ROAD W7.

Items seized:
29 Litres mixed Italian wine
63.75 Litres mixed spirit (Various brands of spirits seized for non duty paid and counterfeit alcohol namely GLENS VODKA)

In addition approx £3,500 seized.

SUNRISE SUPER MARKET, 137 UXBRIDGE ROAD, W73ST.

Items seized:
107 crates of mixed beer/cider.
34 Boxes of Italian wine
1 Bottle of GLENS vodka (Counterfeit)
23 Bottles of STALINGRAD vodka

PRICE CUTTER, 7 BOSTON ROAD, W7

Items seized:
210 Bottles of 12% Italian wine.
All items were seized for no duty paid or counterfeit.

CUDI FOOD CENTRE based at 26 THE BROADWAY, WEST EALING,
Customs & Excise seized:
18.6 Kg of chewing tobacco,
16.8 litres of mixed spirits,
69 litres of Italian wine.
All the products seized had non duty paid.

PRITHI based at 44 THE BROADWAY, WEST EALING, W130SU,
Customs & Excise seized:
4.18 Kg of chewing tobacco,
112.58 litres of mixed spirits,
Majority of the spirits seized were counterfeit or diverted products. Some products had no duty paid.
Counterfeit products included a large quantity of GLENS VODKA & HIGH COMMISION WHISKY.

In addition police found over £1100 pounds.

BROADWAY INTERNATIONAL based at 7 THE BROADWAY, WEST EALING, W13.
Customs & Excise seized:
46.9 litres of mixed spirits,
12.6 litres of Italian wine.
All the products seized had non duty paid.

The aim of the operation was to assist the HMRC Customs to carry out an Inspection to see if any offences were being committed. The operation resulted in a large amount of cash being seized by police with one person being arrested. A large quantity of counterfeit and non duty tax paid alcohol was seized by Customs Officers.

The Elthorne team will continue to carry out these types of operations when they identify problems and will always investigate complaints from the public about criminal activity.

17th November 2010