Hasan Koç
TWO PEOPLE, ONE TURKISH have been charged for the possession and selling of illegal tobacco in London.
Hasan Koç and Ivo Pocheliev both appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Friday 13 November and found guilty. Each were sentenced to 20 months in prison
The two men, Hasan Koç, 50 from Tottenham and Ivo Pocheliev, 40 from Croydon were first seen meeting in March 2014 in the area of North Stifford, Essex by British Tax Office officials.
Shortly after the meeting Pocheliev was seen leaving the car park and going to a depot close by where he filled up the back of a van with tobacco and going back to the car par.
£105,000,00 WORTH OF TOBACCO SEIZED
Officials from the British Tax Office arrested Pocheliev and Hasan Koç while hey were selling the illegal tobacco from the back of the van. When officials searched the van they seized a total of 610kg of Golden Virginia Tobacco worth £105,000, in cash.
Service Director from the British Tax Office Fraud Department, David Margree commented on the incident, he said: “Illegal smuggling of tobacco is really damaging Britain’s economy. This country loses almost 2.1 million a year, with this money the services provided for the public can be raised. Shops and stores which sell legal tobacco will find it very hard to compete with this illegal smuggling and selling of tobacco. The public prefers to buy cheap products, of course, but they what they are not aware of is that what they are buying is illegal.”
THOUSANDS OF CIGARETTES FOUND IN KOÇ’S HOME
In a search made Hasan Koç’s home, thousands of cigarettes were also seized. A total of 124.200 thousand Marlboro Red cigarettes and 6.6 kilos of tobacco was found and removed by officials.
Officials also found 12.400 euros and the documents to the rented depot in the boot of Pocheliev’s car. These were also seized.
