Fine wine news

Alcohol duty fraud is losing the UK exchequer up to £1.2 billion a year and the National Audit Office (NAO) has called on HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to clamp down on the criminality.

It reported that there has been a 40 per cent rise in alcohol duty fraud, which stood at £850 million in 2008-2009 before rising to over £1 billion in 2009-2010.

Speaking to Harpers Wine & Spirit, Amyas Morse, auditor-general of the NAO, said that while HMRC has improved in some areas, it needs to establish "reliable estimates of the tax gaps for beer and wine, and achieving tangible success in tackling the illicit diversion of duty-unpaid alcohol back into the UK market".

Most of the fraud committed is by organised criminals exploiting the weaknesses of supply chains, the news provider reported.

Other ways to target alcohol fraud that is being considered is implementing 'fiscal marks' from the point of production.

Wine fraud is a particular problem in China and the country has this month jailed a man in its biggest-ever wine smuggling case.

Posted by Helen Jenkins