Landfill Tax Crackdown Welcomed by Waste Industry
Local police forces located in the north of England have joined powers with HMRC for a landfill tax crackdown. Together, the organisations will investigate suspected landfill tax fraud worth millions of pounds. Landfill tax fraud involves deliberately misclassifying waste, with material that is supposed to attract the usual rate of Landfill Tax being passed off as material which qualifies for a lower rate.
180 police officers were involved in the raids in Yorkshire and the north-east and 14 individuals aged between 23 and 49 were arrested. The raids targetted 8 residential and 6 commercial addresses in Washington, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Hull and Leeds.
How The Landfill Tax Raids Affected The Investigation
Director of the HMRC fraud investigation service, Simon York, called the raids the “culmination of 18 months of painstaking investigation”. It’s believed that more than £78m of revenue may be involved. The news of the crackdown was welcomed by the Environmental Services Association, the representative for resource and waste management in the UK.
Head of regulation Sam Corp for ESA said that there has been calling for a better approach when it comes to fighting waste crime. The investigation and subsequent arrests suggest that both regulators and the government have been listening and delivering. He said that there is also a compelling case for allocating regulators with more resources so they can adequately police waste crimes.
HMRC Encourage Vigilance Towards Illegal Waste Operations
Mr York is urging all businesses to watch out for illegal waste operators who are avoiding landfill tax, exporting waste or engaging in fly-tipping, therefore, breaching EU regulations. The recent ‘Right Waste, Right Place’ campaign is aiming to raise awareness of how waste producers must take important steps in order to avoid falling victim to waste crime.
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