Northern Ireland

Five accused of evading £2 million of customs duty

Newry Magistrates Court heard how the charges relate to 5,000,000 cigarettes and 700 kilos of rolling tobacco
Newry Magistrates Court heard how the charges relate to 5,000,000 cigarettes and 700 kilos of rolling tobacco Newry Magistrates Court heard how the charges relate to 5,000,000 cigarettes and 700 kilos of rolling tobacco

FIVE people have appeared in court accused of evading £2 million of customs duty.

Newry Magistrates Court heard how the charges relate to 5,000,000 cigarettes and 700 kilos of rolling tobacco with an alleged duty evasion of “about £2,000,000”.

Facing a charge of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the duty chargeable are Jacqueline Jean Cooper (57), Frenchpark Street in Belfast; William Mollen (73), also Frenchpark Street; Denise Dougan (35), from Ballyfore Road in Newtownabbey; Paul Eamon Quigley (64), from Dundrum Park in Derry and Stephen Harold Trimble (59), from Kensington Avenue in Banbridge.

While all five are jointly accused on the duty evasion charge, Cooper and Millen are also accused of having £4,000 of criminal property and Trimble is accused of having £21,640 of criminal property with all of the offences allegedly committed between April 5 2018 and August 13 2019.

None of the alleged facts giving rise to the charges were opened in court but a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a Prima Facie case against each of the defendants which was conceded by their various lawyers.

The five accused were asked if they wished to comment on the charges or call evidence on their behalves but they declined.

Freeing each of them on £500, District Judge Trevor Browne returned the case to Newry Crown Court for trial but did not set a date for the arraignment.