Major VAT fraud appeal in High Court
December 18, 2008 by Mobile News

HMRC's appeal against important VAT and Duties Tribunal victories earlier this year in High Court this week.

The High Court heard an appeal from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) this week against major VAT fraud wins for traders in the VAT and Duties Tribunal earlier this year.

Traders Livewire and Olympia both secured significant victories against HMRC over withheld VAT repayments in the VAT and Duties Tribunal earlier this year. The rulings were considered, then, a blow to HMRC’s policy of wit... (click on the headline to read the full article)

VAT Directive to be amended to battle VAT fraud
OUT-LAW News, 01/12/2008 

The European Commission has proposed a series of measures, including changes to the VAT Directive, to prevent and detect VAT fraud.

The Commission today adopted a Communication presenting a short term action plan with a list of future legislative measures to enhance the capacity of tax administrations to prevent or detect VAT fraud, in particular missing trader fraud, and to recover taxes.

It has also adopted two measures to amend the VAT Directive. The first aims to prevent the existing a... (click on the headline to read the full article)

FCIB - Legal update
Thursday, 27 November 2008

Dass Solicitors, in conjunction with our agents in the Netherlands Antilles, have been making progress in getting closer to obtaining release of funds from the First Curacao International Bank (“FCIB”) (in administration).  This has precipitated action by HM Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) in appointing lawyers in the Netherlands Antilles to make applications for freezing orders.

HMRC have, in seeking these freezing orders, made the following submissions to the Netherlands Antilles Courts:-

1. that the 1967 conven... (click on the headline to read the full article)

Craig Johnson, the gang leader with a stately home, must repay £26m
BY Dominic Kennedy, Investigations Editor - From The TimesNovember 22, 2008

A gang leader has been ordered to pay back £26 million of the money that he stole from HM Revenue & Customs, or spend a further ten years in prison.

Craig Johnson’s restrained assets include a helicopter, yacht, two properties – one a £3 million stately home – cars, diamonds and Rolex watches.

He is serving a 12½ year prison sentence for his role in leading a gang that stole £138 million in a VAT fraud.

Johnson ... (click on the headline to read the full article)

Online shoppers pay less duty tax from December
HM Revenue and Customs changes the rules
15 November 2008

From next month online shoppers will no longer have to pay customs duty on non-EU purchases up to £105.

The threshold above which customs duty is charged on online purchases from outside the EU rises from £18 to £105 on December 1. This is an early Xmas present for online shoppers from HMRC, who will continue to charge VAT on these items.

Imported goods from EU countries are free from import duty, but those from non-EU countries, such as the USA, China and ... (click on the headline to read the full article)