Middlesbrough tobacco smuggler Joseph Paul Honeyman jailed

Joseph Paul Honeyman, of Croft Avenue, Middlesbrough, was caught storing more than 630,000 illicit cigarettes, almost half a tonne of hand rolling tobacco and three litres of vodka by HMRC officers.

The seized haul, which was discovered in a unit he rented in Thornaby in March 2019 was worth a massive £267,833 in unpaid duty.

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The 64-year-old was charged with excise fraud offences and released on court bail pending a trial.

LOCKED UP: Joseph Paul Honeyman faces seven years in jail (Image: HMRC)

But during his bail in September 2019 he was stopped by police on the A1 near Grantham while transporting two suitcases filled with non-UK duty paid tobacco. And when HMRC officers also searched his home and another property he owned on his street, they uncovered yet more tobacco worth a total value of £36,628 in unpaid duty.

On Friday (October 28) Honeyman was sent back to jail for seven years after admitting excise fraud and conspiracy to evade duty during a trial at Teesside Crown Court, having already served two spells in prison for similar offences and subsequent failure to pay a confiscation order.

Some of the haul being stored at the Thornaby storage unit rented by Honeyman, which was discovered by HMRC officers. (Image: HMRC)

In 2013, Honeyman was jailed for 14 months after HMRC officers seized 984,500 cigarettes, 710 kilos of hand rolling tobacco and 499 litres of vodka from a property he owned. The seized goods were worth an estimated £309,698 in unpaid duty.

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Following conviction, he received a confiscation order for £216,500, but failed to repay the full amount and was sentenced to another year in prison on 1 June 2015. He still owes some of the money.

Caroline Austin, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Honeyman was repeatedly caught breaking the law and now finds himself back in prison. Trade in illicit cigarettes deprives our public services of vital funds and undermines legitimate traders including small, independent corner shops that serve local communities.

The seized haul, which was discovered in a unit he rented in Thornaby in March 2019 was worth a massive £267,833 in unpaid duty. (Image: HMRC)

“They also help fund organised crime and other illegal activity that causes real harm to our communities, such as drugs, guns and human trafficking. Tobacco smugglers are criminals who don’t care who they sell to, including children.

“We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or alcohol to report it to HMRC online.”

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