A group of diplomats has been jailed for a total of 33 years for running a tax-dodging tobacco operation out of Kensington’s Gambian embassy.
The seven embassy workers cheated British taxpayers out of £4.8 million and were jailed at Southwark Crown Court yesterday (December 10) after Judge Michael Gledhill said they had ‘breached the trust of the president and people of Gambia’ as well as cheating British citizens by failing to pay tax on the tobacco.
Among the group was finance attache Ebrima John, 39, of Kensington , who had diplomatic privileges and was jailed for six years after being found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue.
Former embassy driver Veerahia Ramarajaha, of Drinkwater Road, South Harrow , was jailed for three years for conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and concealing dutiable goods. He has since left to work for the Zambia High Commission.
The group sold 26 tonnes of hand rolling tobacco between 2009 and 2012 by using their diplomatic status to avoid paying tax.
Embassy rules allow diplomats to legitimately buy tobacco tax free for personal use but they are not allowed to sell it on.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers found they were an established network who bought the tobacco tax-free from duty free sales companies International Diplomatic Supplies and Chacalli De Decker.
They then sold it to members of London’s Gambian community, mainly from the Gambian Diplomatic Mission in Kensington Court, just off Kensington High Street.
Long queues of customers were even seen queuing outside the embassy to buy tobacco.
Martin Brown, assistant director of criminal investigation for HMRC, said: “Diplomats are allowed duty free goods for their personal use but the systems works on trust. These individuals abused that trust by selling vast amounts of hand rolling tobacco on the black market, thinking they were beyond the reach of the law – they were wrong.
“Investigators found an established supply network for the tobacco had been built up over a number of years.
“Excise evasion is a serious offence and, as this case shows, HMRC will not hesitate to take action where we find evidence of fraud.”
Jail time for those found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue (all will serve half on licence):
- Ringleader and deputy head of the embassy, Yusupha Bojang, 54, of Loughton, Essex - seven years jail
- First secretary Gaston Sambou, 39, of Finchley - six years jail
- Welfare officer Georgina Gomez, 30, of Beckton - five years jail
- Finance attache Ebrima John, 39, of Kensington - six year jail
- Ex-driver Veerahia Ramarajaha, 54, of South Harrow - three years (also found guilty of dealing/harbouring/concealing/carrying dutiable goods)
- Receptionist Audrey Leeward, 48, of Croydon - three years
- Secretary Hasaintu Noah, 60, of Colliers Wood - three years
