LONDON: The British Government has set up a bootleggers hotline to inform on people bringing alcohol and tobacco from Europe to sell illegally in Britain.
But it refused to lower duty on alcohol despite the rush to France by day-trippers to buy cheap wine and beer. The exodus cost the British Treasury GBP500 million (about HK$5.7 billion) in lost revenue last year.
Millions of Britons have headed for France since the European Single Market lowered trade barriers last year. With the Channel Tunnel opening next month, the shopping flow could turn into a torrent.
Britons are allowed to bring back alcohol and tobacco for their own consumption, but it is illegal for them to sell it.
Paymaster-General Sir John Cope, the man in charge of customs, promised a major crackdown, but said he would not contemplate cutting taxes to match those in France, saying this could mean the Treasury losing up to GBP6 billion a year. Reuter