Why did the man from the local chippy end up in jail?

A Chip Shop owner has been jailed after smuggled cigarettes were found under his counter.

Mustapha Aitbouzit, 62, owner of Browns chippy in Chorley was jailed on 29th July for two-years and four-months after pleading guilty to dodging excise duty and laundering money.

An investigation by HM Revenue & Customs found illegal cigarettes, illegal tobacco, and over £700,000 in cash stashed at his business and his home.

Around £200,000 was taken from his chippy on Parker Street, Chorley along with 11,840 cigarettes and 300 grammes of hand rolling tobacco. After searching his home, HMRC also uncovered about £500,000 in cash hidden in his garage and garden, along with 2,500 more illegal cigarettes.

All the cigarettes and tobacco seized were smuggled in from Spain and so cannot be legally sold in the UK, as they don't carry a UK health warning. Aitbouzit also fell foul of the law because chippies and other fast food outlets require a licence to be able to sell tobacco products - whether they are smuggled or not - and Browns didn't have one.

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