A SMUGGLER caught unloading contraband cigarettes and tobacco hidden in the back of a lorry, among boxes of tissues, had his scam uncovered by an HM Revenue and Customs investigation.

Artur Golebiowski, 38, a sales assistant, of Queens Avenue, Greenford, was arrested as he unloaded his stash at a lock-up in Birmingham. Officers found he had created false documents and hijacked a company’s identity to import the tobacco.

The lorry contained nearly 180,000 Jin Ling cigarettes and 37kg of shredded tobacco worth £53,287 in evaded duty.

Golebiowski was this week handed an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years, fined £7,500 and has to pay £1,800 costs and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

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Richard Young, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Golebiowski hoped false import documents would prevent the illegal load being discovered, but he’s now paying the price with a criminal record.

“The illegal tobacco trade takes money away from vital public services and honest, hard-working traders.”

Golebiowski, originally from Poland, admitted evading excise duty at Birmingham Crown Court and was sentenced on Wednesday.