HMRC Cracks Down After Years of Undercover Surveillance
Eleven men from Bolton have been locked up for masterminding the smuggling of a staggering 150 million illegal cigarettes into the UK, dodging over £41 million in tax and excise duties. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched a relentless surveillance operation from August 2017, tracking the gang for months. They snapped photos, recorded conversations, and collected undeniable evidence. 
- Over 2.5 million cigarettes and nearly £1 million in cash were seized during vehicle checks.
- The criminals used businesses across Lancashire and Staffordshire to organise deliveries, van swaps, and illicit tobacco exchanges.
- Fifteen recorded deliveries between October 2017 and February 2018 sealed their fate in court.
Harsh Sentences Handed Down at Manchester Crown Court
All defendants pleaded guilty during hearings held from 2023 to 2025. On 23 April 2026, five ringleaders were handed hefty jail terms exceeding 10 years. The remaining six received suspended sentences of up to 10 years at Manchester Crown Court.
Key Players’ Jail Terms Revealed
- Amit Patel (Bolton) – 2 years suspended for conspiracy to evade excise duty.
- Jayun Bhudia (Bolton) – 22 months suspended for conspiracy to evade excise duty.
- David Cook (Liverpool) – 2.5 years’ jail for conspiracy to evade excise duty.
- Paul Dunbavin (Prescot) – 22 months suspended for conspiracy to evade excise duty.
- Altaf Hussein Patel (Bolton) – 15 months suspended for participating in organised crime.
- Jack Mather (Bolton) – 3 years 4 months jail for conspiracy to evade excise duty.
- Pshtewan Khaleed Majeed (Birmingham) – 17 months suspended for organised crime participation.
- Yasir Ali (Bradford) – 22 months suspended for conspiracy to evade excise duty.
- Carl Coxon (Scotland) – 1 year, 10 months jail for money laundering.
- Miralam Mohammed Khan (Bolton) – 1 year 4 months jail for money laundering.
- Arkan Hussein (No fixed address) – 1 year 8 months jail for money laundering.
Help Fight Illegal Tobacco Sales
HMRC urges the public to report any suspicions of illegal tobacco or alcohol sales. If you have information, report it securely at GOV.UK. For more on HMRC’s ongoing fight against tax fraud, visit gov.uk.
