Justice catches up with Consett cigarette smuggler after six years on the run in Thailand
BY ROB KENNEDY

Ex Consett milkman was arrested at a luxury hotel in Thailand earlier this year after being on the run since 2008

NEWCASTLE: -- 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

_{sounds like easy money 1.77 million pounds for 2years 11 inside}

Inevitable. Death and taxes.

Another in a long line of vicitimless crimes, eh?

_{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.

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....

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.

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.

One down, 100000 to go....

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?

Doesn't sound like he was a threat to Thai society.

They smoked him out.

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.

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

I wonder if he was on overstay?

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 ?

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.

_{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.

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.

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.

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.

That money could have been spent i mean wasted on refugees that would cover the costs for about 3 hours.

_{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%.

These kind of drug smugglers ruin lives and corrupt kids. Tobacco is a dreadful, joyless drug. Lock him away and throw away the key@

Avoiding tax is a duty. Why fund corruption and genocide in Africa. Why give Pakistan and India,both wealthy nuclear powers our tax money?

Do hope he left a note out.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Off thread, I know, but if you support the principle of professional politicians then you support the principle of having politicians that know nothing about the "real world". Having what you call "jobs on the side" is just part of the experience that should make them good representatives of the people.

I agree, we should all support ourselves financially, where possible, but I would add "by legal means". MPs who fiddled expenses were let off lightly although some lost their seats and steps have been taken to prevent this happening again.