Duty-free rip-off operation deprives States of £37k

A BIN bag full of cigarettes, tobacco and gin left in his car proved the undoing of Nicholas Ward's duty-free rip-off operation.

Colleagues, believing he was acting suspiciously, spotted the sack of goods and called police.

The former Anglo Normandy Aeroengineering employee had responsibility for stocking Aurigny flights with duty-free goods.

He admitted taking more than 200,400 filter cigarettes, 20.5 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco, 106.7 litres of spirits and 9.25 litres of wine from a bonded store on 105 separate days.

The 51-year-old was sentenced to the maximum 240 hours of community service after pleading guilty to five counts of depriving the States of Guernsey of nearly £37,000-worth of duty.

He also asked for another count to be taken into consideration under Customs and Excise legislation and has since paid back all the duty lost.