The owner of Quality Foods, Mr Puis Sedani (“Mr Sendani”), 51, has admitted to evading £580,000 worth of import duty and VAT on tobacco products.
Despite two previous warnings from HM Revenue & Customs (“HMRC”) for selling illegal tobacco and alcohol in January 2011 and December 2011, HMRC officers still later uncovered in November 2012, 447 kilos of chewing tobacco and 2,520 cigarettes at his cash and carry store in Southall.
Mr Sendani was sentenced for two years and four months imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey on 22 July 2013 and ordered to pay £278,196 by 5 August 2013 or face a further three years in jail.
Quality Foods’ Limited company LB Enterprise recently reported a 79.9% rise in pre-tax profits to £1.38 million, whilst company sales have increased by 63.2% to £19.3 million.
John Pointing speaking on behalf of HMRC stated that “Sedani was given two warnings, but persisted in selling non-duty paid goods. We cannot allow people to consider themselves above the law, and we will not hesitate to take formal action against those who do so”.