Seizure of Imported Wine

Condemnation & Cash Forfeiture

29 November 2023

This case related to the seizure of over 50 cases of wine being brought into the country without having paid the UK duty. The owner of the goods stated they were for personal consumption and not liable to duty and should not be forfeit.

In the contested hearing, Christian managed to show on cross-examination of the owner, that there were significant discrepancies between the accounts given on stopping, during subsequent correspondence and orally in evidence.

Christian also showed that, on a simple Companies House search, the owner of the goods had, not long before the importation, registered a wine sales company. Although it had not yet traded Christian submitted that this was more likely than not to have been the reason for importing wine, not personal use as claimed.

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