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L-R Arif Patel & Mohamed Jaffar Ali, plus images of a seized shipping container, boxes containing counterfeit items & close-up images of the goods

Counterfeit clothing boss convicted of fraud worth more than £150 million

The mastermind of a fake designer clothing scam has been convicted of one of the UK’s largest ever carousel tax frauds.
Sock manufacturer Arif Patel, 55, of Preston, and his criminal gang tried to steal £97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones.
They also imported and sold counterfeit clothes that would have been worth at least £50 million, had

HMRC confirms long-term presence in Preston

HMRC confirms long-term presence in Preston

Preston will be retained as a long-term location in the North West for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the department has announced today.
HMRC’s existing transitional site in Preston, at St Mark’s House and St Mary’s House, was due to close in 2025, with employees moving to our Manchester or Liverpool regional centres. Today’s announcement means more than 1,000 HMRC jobs will remain in Preston

Mohammed Ikram

West Yorkshire man jailed for Eat Out to Help Out fraud

A former West Yorkshire town councillor has been jailed for trying to steal more than £430,000 through the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
Mohammed Ikram, 36, of Springfield Court, Keighley, admitted stealing money from the Covid-19 support schemes, following an investigation by HM Revenue and Custom’s (HMRC) Taxpayer Protection Taskforce.
He used his own café and takeaway business

Sarah Panitzke returned to the UK by HMRC in June 2022

Prison time doubled for ‘most wanted’ tax criminal

One of the UK’s most wanted tax fugitives, who was caught and jailed for eight years last year, has had her sentence more than doubled for failing to repay the money she stole.
Sarah Panitzke, originally from York, played a leading role in a vast multi-million-pound VAT fraud and became one of the UK’s most wanted criminals after absconding during her trial in 2013.
The 48-year-old spent n

Two arrested as global bank probe gathers pace

Two arrested as global bank probe gathers pace

Two men have been arrested as part of a multi-million-pound tax fraud investigation involving UK customers of a collapsed Puerto Rican bank.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers executed search warrants at three residential and business addresses in Liverpool and arrested two men, aged 40 and 50.
Computers and other digital devices were seized during the raids along with business record

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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the UK’s tax authority

HMRC is responsible for making sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services and for helping families and individuals with targeted financial support.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

100 Parliament St
SW1A 2BQ London