A ‘rip off crew’ which helped organised criminals to bypass security at Tilbury docks in east London was on May 13 given prison sentences totalling 67 years at Maidstone Crown Court. The rulings follow a complicated investigation by SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency) into the importation of nearly 37 kilos of cocaine and a separate investigation led by HMRC into the importation of eight million illegal cigarettes.
The gang included port staff working both inside and outside the docks who abused their positions to facilitate the illegal entry of drugs and cigarettes, and to steal legitimate freight. By obtaining duplicate seals for containers they could remove smuggled goods at the docks and reseal the containers prior to customer collection.<br><br>Chris Farrimond, Regional Head of Investigations for SOCA said after the case: “These men were not plucky opportunists, but hardened criminals prepared to use their positions to steal or smuggle seemingly anything that made them a profit. Using sophisticated techniques in an effort to cover their tracks, this gang has had a significant impact on the reputation of the Tilbury Docks, which these verdicts will go some way to repair.”<br><br>John Kay Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation for HMRC said:<br><br>“If this gang had not been stopped they would have made millions of pounds at the expense of honest shopkeepers and flooded local markets with cheap and unregulated cigarettes. These criminals do not care who they harm. They often sell to children and young people and they are only out to line their own pockets.<br><br>“Working closely with our colleagues in SOCA we will continue to disrupt criminal operations wherever possible. Anyone with information about cigarette smuggling should contact the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”<br><br>The Rip-Off Crew<br><br>On 29th June 2009, Customs officers opened and examined a container at Berth 39, Port of Tilbury, Essex, and found 8 million cigarettes in a container said to contain children’s clothes, evading duty estimated at £1,580,000.<br><br>On 15th December 2009, SOCA recovered two holdalls containing a total of 36.7 kgs cocaine with a street value in excess of £10 million from a container of bananas at a fruit importer based in Luton. The sealed container had entered the UK from Ecuador via Tilbury, Essex, and the fruit company had no idea drugs were concealed within the load.<br><br>In the months leading up to these events investigations had centred on three men; Mark Howie who acted as the facilitator, and Andrew Kinnaird and Derek Tunstead who as dock employees had intimate knowledge of the workings of Tilbury Docks. Covert recordings of their conversations show that Kinnaird and Tunstead were prepared to use this knowledge to enable illegal activities including drug and cigarette smuggling. Acting as a one stop shop for illegal cargo travelling though Tilbury docks, the gang would hire out their services and engage others as needed to fulfil specific roles for different shipments.<br><br>Events did not go according to plan and the gang was unable to intercept the container and remove the drugs before the legitimate driver turned up to collect it. This did not deter Tunstead and Kinnaird who followed the container to Luton hoping for an opportunity to remove the drugs, but they were unsuccessful.<br><br>Howie, Kinnaird and Tunstead were all arrested and charged for the drugs and cigarette importations. Lee Garton was arrested and charged for the cigarettes only after his fingerprints and handwriting were found on documents delivered to the freight agent for the consignment.<br><br>After a seven week long trial at Maidstone Crown Court the following were convicted:<br><br>Mark Howie, of Milton Road, Poole, Dorset (b. 19/04/1960) was found guilty of count 1 – importing 36.7kgs cocaine and guilty of count 2 – conspiracy to cheat the revenue on tobacco products imported into the UK. Sentenced to 17.5 years for count 1 and 4.4 years for count 2, a total of 22 years.<br><br>Andrew Kinnaird, of Purfleet, Essex (b. 31/01/1964) was found guilty of counts 1 and 2 as well as count 3 – evading the duty on 8 million cigarettes. Sentenced to 17.5 years for count 1, 4.5 years for count 2 and 4.5 years for count 3, a total of 22 years due to counts 2 and 3 running concurrently.<br><br>Lee Garton, of Fair Lawn, Chestfield, Whitstable, Kent (b. 29/12/1956) was found guilty of count 3 only. Sentenced to 4.5 years.<br><br>Derek Tunstead, of Kingsground, Eltham, SE London (b. 04/04/1969) pleaded guilty to counts 1 and 3 prior to the trial. Sentenced to 14.5 years on count 1, 4 years for count 3, and a 12 month sentence for theft of a container to run concurrent with count 3. A total of 18.5 years.<br><br>Anthony Barnes from Tilbury, Essex (b. 20/05/1968) pleaded guilty to count 1 prior to the trial. He will be sentenced at a later date.
