A Coventry criminal mastermind, Ary Majeed, 36, from Tennyson Road, Coventry, has been jailed for running a massive illegal cigarette smuggling and money laundering ring worth over £22 million in unpaid duty.
Majeed used a fleet of vehicles and a network of couriers to smuggle millions of cigarettes across the UK. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) conducted a series of raids, seizing millions of cigarettes hidden in lorries, shipping containers, and storage units, some cleverly concealed amongst medical supplies.
He was not acting alone. Majeed worked with Damian Lukaszuk, 35, from Warfield, Bracknell, and 55-year-old Miroslaw Koksanowicz of Stevenage to launder the illegal profits from the cigarette empire.
Carmine Di Franco, Assistant Director at HMRC Fraud Investigation Service, said: “Majeed played a significant role in distributing vast quantities of illegal cigarettes across the UK. He deprived our public services of millions in vital funding and undermined legitimate traders.”
He added, “Cheap cigarettes come at a cost, often funding organised crime such as drugs, guns, and human trafficking. These criminals don’t care who buys their products—even children.”
“Anyone with information on illegal tobacco or alcohol sales should report it online or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
Between May 2018 and April 2019, HMRC made several major seizures linked to Majeed’s network, including:
- 11 million cigarettes seized from a storage unit in Braintree, Essex, on 15 June 2018.
- 10.5 million cigarettes hidden inside metal casings at a storage unit in Huggate, East Riding of Yorkshire, on 15 September 2018.
- 13.5 million cigarettes stashed in shipping containers behind medical cups at the Port of Tilbury in December 2018.
In total, 79 million smuggled cigarettes were traced back to Majeed’s operation, with evaded duty exceeding £22 million.
Majeed was arrested at his home on 25 April 2019. Mobile phone evidence played a key role in securing his conviction.
Damian Lukaszuk was caught moving £1.2 million in cash hidden in a lorry at Dover docks in March 2018. He was also arrested carrying £80,000 in Coventry in November 2018, with Koksanowicz as his passenger. Another £6,000 was found at Lukaszuk’s home. Lukaszuk had a previous conviction for attempting to smuggle 37,000 cigarettes via the Channel Tunnel in 2015.
Following trials at Warwick Crown Court:
- Ary Majeed was found guilty of two counts of cheating the public revenue and two counts of money laundering. He was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison on 20 August 2021.
- Damian Lukaszuk pleaded guilty to money laundering and received a three-year prison sentence.
- Miroslaw Koksanowicz admitted involvement in the organised crime group and is due for sentencing on 20 September 2021.
Additionally, Slovakian associate Radoslav Vavlic, who was caught transporting £125,000 cash from Majeed, was jailed for 27 months in September 2019.
This crackdown sends a clear message to smugglers and money launderers: HMRC is actively pursuing those involved in illegal tobacco trade across the UK.
Originally published by UKNIP.
