TWO men have denied charges relating to unpaid duty on almost 890,000 imported cigarettes seized by Customs and police officers.

It follows the recovery of a large consignment of packages containing the illicit tobacco from a van and in a subsequent search of the home of the man who hired the vehicle.

Raymond Taylor and John Nixon who were arrested as a result of the operation, in June last year, appeared at Durham Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing today (Wednesday May 18).

They are both charged with acquiring possession of dutiable goods with fraudulent intent, relating to a consignment of 797,540 cigarettes recovered from a van.

Fifty-eight-year-old Taylor is also accused of a similar charge, relating to 90,400 cigarettes found in five packages recovered from his home.

Both men denied the charges when they were to them at today’s short hearing.

Defence barrister Joe Hedworth told the court neither defendant was aware of the contents of the consignments, which were imported from Italy, as they were either shrink-wrapped or in sealed cardboard boxes.

They had been asked to pick them up from a courier’s depot and were to deliver them to an unnamed man at a service station on the A19.

Mr Hedworth and Crown counsel, Michael Cahill, agreed on a suitable date for the trial of the defendants, which, due to the “narrow issues” involved is expected to run for no more than three days.

Adjourning the hearing, Judge Simon Hickey reminded the defendants that a change of plea on the day of trial would drastically reduce the discount they would receive on any subsequent sentence.

Both Taylor, of Woodbine Avenue, Horden, County Durham, and 56-year-old Nixon, of West Lane, Middlesbrough, were bailed to return for the trial, in the week beginning on September 5.