Chris Foulkes, Daniel Chadwick and Neelam Gomersall appear in complex duty evasion and money laundering trial at Birmingham Crown Court

Operation Clinical was a lengthy HMRC investigation into the illicit importation and distribution of millions of cigarettes into the UK by an Iraqi-Kurdish organised crime group.

The cigarettes were smuggled into the UK by lorry amongst partially legitimate loads destined for British businesses. Once in the country, the cigarettes were ‘slaughtered’ at warehouses in the Midlands before being distributed by suppliers to customers without paying UK duty. This evasion of duty made the business a highly lucrative one. Seven individuals were charged.

Chris Foulkes and Neelam Gomersall, instructed by the CPS Specialist Fraud Division, appeared for the Crown. The principal five defendants were convicted.

Daniel Chadwick, instructed by Gary Bromelow of Saunders Solicitors, represented one of only two defendants to be acquitted.