webfact Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Justice catches up with Consett cigarette smuggler after six years on the run in ThailandBY ROB KENNEDYEx Consett milkman was arrested at a luxury hotel in Thailand earlier this year after being on the run since 2008NEWCASTLE: -- Justice has finally caught up with a cigarette smuggling mastermind who spent more than six years on the run in Thailand.Former milkman Paul Joyce was at the head of a gang who fleeced the taxman out of £1.77m in excise duty on ten million cigarettes.As the net closed in 2008, Joyce fled to Asia just hours before his co-conspirators were due to answer bail.While other members of the gang were eventually locked up for a total of 12 years, Joyce was building a new life for himself in Thailand, where he already had a wife and son.The 41-year-old was finally captured at a luxury hotel in the coastal resort of Hua Hin earlier this year in a joint operation between HM Revenue and Customs and the Royal Thai police.Joyce, originally from Consett, in County Durham , spent two-and-a-half months in a tough Bangkok prison before being extradited back to the UK in July.Now he has been jailed for two years and 11 months at Newcastle Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade excise duty.Full story: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/justice-catches-up-consett-cigarette-10335928-- Chronicle Live 2015-10-29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman20 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 sounds like easy money 1.77 million pounds for 2years 11 inside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Inevitable. Death and taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boon Mee Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Another in a long line of vicitimless crimes, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Never mind that the government is stealing billions from the end users. If you steal from them, they will go after you hammer and tong. Good chance he was ratted out because no smoker is going to lag him if they are getting smokes at the right price. Please don't speak to me about right and wrong without first asking yourself if it is ok to steal from a thief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 sounds like easy money 1.77 million pounds for 2years 11 inside Not quite. He had to share with co-conspirators, at least 6 of them by the sound of it. He had operating costs. And 10 million ciggies, you'd not be retailing them but wholesaling. Mind you, if he was smuggling them from Thailand, he'd be creaming it just on mark-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzra Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Thailand is a big haven for criminals of all sorts color and creed, if you grab Thailand and shake her, you be amazed how many crocks will fall out, people that you didn't thing that they were criminals and fugitive from justice, it can be your friend from the bar or pub, next door neighbor or even your brother in law.. such is the magnitude of the throve of criminals hiding in Thailand and most in plain sight.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2008bangkok Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Ok for the likes of apple or Starbucks who it's been reported pays an absolute minimum or zero tax but the man in the street tryin to earn a few quid on smokes is completely in the wrong. It's a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufanuf Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Never mind that the government is stealing billions from the end users. If you steal from them, they will go after you hammer and tong. Good chance he was ratted out because no smoker is going to lag him if they are getting smokes at the right price. Please don't speak to me about right and wrong without first asking yourself if it is ok to steal from a thief. Couldn't agree more Car720. Big government needs to get its house in order before most UK citizens would cheer about this arrest. A complete lack of transparency about where citizens money is spent, and the obvious misplacement of billions of the publics money should ensure such an arrest doesn't see to many cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfinglife Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 One down, 100000 to go.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamypoko Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Forgive my ignorance, but when it says milkman, does it really mean milkman...as in, milk? Is there still such a job in Jolly Ole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godden Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Doesn't sound like he was a threat to Thai society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerangutang Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 They smoked him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfarang Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 It was a natural for him to move to Thailand. - I bet it was. I have met many Farangs over here that seem very shy and will avoid mentioning what they do. We know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2008bangkok Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Forgive my ignorance, but when it says milkman, does it really mean milkman...as in, milk? Is there still such a job in Jolly Ole? It's getting a dieing breed but yes a milkman is a good old fashioned job, start a 3am in the pub for 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Traveller Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I wonder if he was on overstay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Traveller Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 It was a natural for him to move to Thailand. - I bet it was. I have met many Farangs over here that seem very shy and will avoid mentioning what they do. We know why. .... tell us again why it is any business of yours ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuamRudy Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Another in a long line of vicitimless crimes, eh? The UK taxpayer was the victim - he chose to ignore his legal requirement to pay tax, thus taking money from the system that, rightly, would have gone to the exchequer and benefited the country at large. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanrchase Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 sounds like easy money 1.77 million pounds for 2years 11 insideNot quite.He had to share with co-conspirators, at least 6 of them by the sound of it. He had operating costs. And 10 million ciggies, you'd not be retailing them but wholesaling. Mind you, if he was smuggling them from Thailand, he'd be creaming it just on mark-up. A carton of cigs (200) costs close to £90 in the UK. If you can get them truly duty free they cost about £12. Do the math on 10 million, big money to be made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losername Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Never mind that the government is stealing billions from the end users. If you steal from them, they will go after you hammer and tong. Good chance he was ratted out because no smoker is going to lag him if they are getting smokes at the right price. Please don't speak to me about right and wrong without first asking yourself if it is ok to steal from a thief. Ok for the likes of apple or Starbucks who it's been reported pays an absolute minimum or zero tax but the man in the street tryin to earn a few quid on smokes is completely in the wrong. It's a joke. No-one should be sympathetic towards tax evaders or smokers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callaway Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Never mind that the government is stealing billions from the end users. If you steal from them, they will go after you hammer and tong. Good chance he was ratted out because no smoker is going to lag him if they are getting smokes at the right price. Please don't speak to me about right and wrong without first asking yourself if it is ok to steal from a thief. Ok for the likes of apple or Starbucks who it's been reported pays an absolute minimum or zero tax but the man in the street tryin to earn a few quid on smokes is completely in the wrong. It's a joke. No-one should be sympathetic towards tax evaders or smokers. You are a smoker mate. I am sure you get my drift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirtless Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 That money could have been spent i mean wasted on refugees that would cover the costs for about 3 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwikeith Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 sounds like easy money 1.77 million pounds for 2years 11 inside Good behaviour? what will he get off for this in the UK, in NZ up to 50%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The manic Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 These kind of drug smugglers ruin lives and corrupt kids. Tobacco is a dreadful, joyless drug. Lock him away and throw away the key@ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The manic Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Avoiding tax is a duty. Why fund corruption and genocide in Africa. Why give Pakistan and India,both wealthy nuclear powers our tax money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfurcrown Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Do hope he left a note out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starchild5 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Double Hypocrisy by the Government. Google pays zero tax in Britain and makes billions. Its ok if HSBC makes billions out from Mafia in Mexico...No crime there.......when a man on the street tries to make some money....all hell breaks loose... UK Hides itself nicely with a developed country status....but it has more criminals than SEA put together. All Billionaires from all over the world like Roman Abromovich hide there. Thailand has petty criminals compared to the big boys hiding in UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Another in a long line of vicitimless crimes, eh? The UK taxpayer was the victim - he chose to ignore his legal requirement to pay tax, thus taking money from the system that, rightly, would have gone to the exchequer and benefited the country at large. Yes, the poor UK taxpayer who contributes to overseas aid, MPs "expenses", houses, hotel rooms, and pocket money etc for immigrants. If any UK taxpayer can do anything to enhance his livelihood at the expense of the government, then good luck to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Never mind that the government is stealing billions from the end users. If you steal from them, they will go after you hammer and tong. Good chance he was ratted out because no smoker is going to lag him if they are getting smokes at the right price. Please don't speak to me about right and wrong without first asking yourself if it is ok to steal from a thief. Ok for the likes of apple or Starbucks who it's been reported pays an absolute minimum or zero tax but the man in the street tryin to earn a few quid on smokes is completely in the wrong. It's a joke. No-one should be sympathetic towards tax evaders or smokers. It is the average UK persons duty to look after himself financially wherever possible, MPs do it with their jobs on the side, fiddled expenses etc, etc. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Avoiding tax is a duty. Why fund corruption and genocide in Africa. Why give Pakistan and India,both wealthy nuclear powers our tax money? Excellent point Mr Manic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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