Lorry load of illicit vodka found in Sutton

More than 13,000 litres of what is thought to be bootleg booze has been seized by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers during a special operation that took place on Friday (October 2).

The alcohol was discovered packed up in the trailer of a lorry that was parked on Brookside Way in Sutton and had been marked as containing olive oil.

Nottinghamshire Police alerted HMRC about the lorry and it was seized along with all of the contents.

Stuart Taylor, assistant director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said: “Alcohol fraud costs taxpayers £1.3 billion in lost revenue each year.

“It is not a victimless crime, it breeds criminality, as well as undermining honest, legitimate traders.

“I would urge anyone with any information on the sale of illegal alcohol to contact us on the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”

No arrests have been made and investigations into the seizure are on-going.

The UK Government has set the duty to be paid on spirits at £27.66 per litre of pure alcohol.

This would mean that the duty you pay on a one litre bottle of 40 per cent proof vodka is 40 per cent of £27.66, or £11.06.