The case of the seizure of some 60,000 litres of contraband whisky and vodka that was captured by Essex customs officers looks set for a practical resolution with the announcement that the alcoholic haul would be made into fuel.

The UK Border Agency team at Tilbury Docks foiled the attempt to smuggle the thousands of bottles of booze, seizing the shipment that was carried in four containers which had originally been shipped from Germany.

According to a statement from a spokesman from the UKBA unpaid VAT and excise duties totalling around £600,000 would have been lost to the government coffers had the spirits been allowed to be sold on the open market. Jim Jarvie, regional director for the UKBA said that although it was tempting over the Christmas period for people to look for a bargain, anybody who purchased the illegal alcohol would have been taking a massive risk due to lack of guarantees about their quality.

The fact that the products were unregulated meant that they could contain a number of dangerous ingredients, with the haul now set to be used as fuel to produce methane said Jarvie. He also added that smuggling or purchasing of contraband goods often supports organised crime in addition to becoming a financial burden on the taxpayer. Local businesses would also be deprived of the opportunity to provide legitimate sales and their operations undermined.

Methane will be extracted from the alcohol which can also be used to provide generator fuel. The glass bottles will also be put to good use through recycling. To date, investigations into the shipment are continuing although no arrests have as yet been made.

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