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Two men sentenced for tobacco and cigarette smuggling

16 December 2022

​Two men have been sentenced in the Royal Court today (16/12/22) for tobacco and cigarette smuggling offences following a lengthy investigation by Jersey Customs and Immigration Service (JCIS).

Aaran Howard Eastwood, 32, from Jersey was sentenced to a 15 month custodial sentence for 9 counts of fraudulently evading duty on tobacco and cigarettes at the airport between October 2020 and October 2021, amounting to approximately £24,650 in duty evaded and the importation of a small quantity of diazepam tablets, a Class C drug. A Confiscation Order was also made for the sum of £95,230. 

His co-accused Antonio Paulino De Andrade, 60,  from Madeira was given a fine of £6,000 for knowingly acquiring tobacco goods over the same period, chargeable with duty that had not been paid.

Aaran Eastwood’s multiple trips over this period were purely for the purposes of furthering his criminal attempts to evade significant amounts of duty. Evidence was found to show he evaded the duty on 37kgs of hand rolling tobacco and 11,200 cigarettes. Financial investigations showed Aaran Eastwood had an overall criminal benefit figure of £95,230.

Senior Manager Paul Le Monnier stated that “Aaran Eastwood evaded duty of nearly £25,000 over a period of year by smuggling cigarettes and tobacco into Jersey. The tobacco goods were then supplied to his co-accused who was selling them locally for profit”. The evasion of duty is detrimental to both the public purse and local businesses who legitimately pay their taxes. 

Anyone with information on drug smuggling can report it anonymously via 0800 735 5555

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