Two fugitives involved in one of Britain's biggest VAT frauds have been given a total of 31 years in jail for their part in a £150million criminal racket. Arif Patel, 55, and Mohamed Jaffar Ali, 59, both currently on the run from police in Dubai, were sentenced in their absence yesterday (Thursday) following a 14-week trial.
Sock manufacturer Patel, thought to be the mastermind, tried to steal £97m through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones. The pair, who worked in a criminal gang, also imported and sold counterfeit clothes that would have been worth at least £50m had they been genuine.
A joint Lancashire Police and HMRC investigation found their proceeds were used to buy property across Preston and London via offshore bank accounts. Patel was found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, the onward sale of counterfeit clothing and money laundering and given 20 years in prison
