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HMRC detains two Scottish restaurateurs

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7th Dec 2011
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HMRC has detained two Edinburgh restaurateurs on suspicion of tax evasion as part of its taskforce operation targeting Scottish restaurants. 

HMRC visited four business and domestic premises in the Scottish capital this week before detaining the two men. Although they were both interviewed and released, the department has said the investigations are 'ongoing'. 
Mike Wells, HMRC director of risk and intelligence, said: “These raids and detention of people suspected of not declaring income from the work they do - are part of co-ordinated activity targeting the restaurant trade in Scotland.
“These taskforces will come down hard on restaurants that have deliberately chosen to break the rules and evade the taxes they should be paying. Honest businesses have absolutely nothing to worry about, however, if you deliberately seek to evade tax, HMRC can and will track you down. You will then face not only a heavy fine, but possibly a criminal prosecution as well,” he said.
HMRC launched a taskforce operation on the restaurant sector in May 2011, targeting London, Scotland and the North West. The department carried out investigations into 531 restaurants in November and identified £634,000 in potential unpaid tax. 
Scotland is proving to be a high-risk area for HMRC. Scottish restaurants accounted for 222 of the total number of those investigated, and one of the more recent taskforces launched will focus on the Scottish fast food sector. 
David Gauke, the Exchequer Secretary, said that the taskforces are a direct result of the government’s £917m spending review re-investment to tackle tax evasion, avoidance and fraud, which aims to raise an additional £7bn each year by 2014/15. 
AccountingWEB has compiled a table monitoring the progress of each taskforce launched so far. 
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Replies (8)

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By Robert Hurn
08th Dec 2011 11:56

Arrested for Avoidance

Do they not mean evasion?

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By Natalie Brandweiner
08th Dec 2011 15:28

Tax evasion

Thanks for spotting, Bobhurn. The article is now fixed. 

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By The Black Knight
09th Dec 2011 11:06

intelligence led ?

£1,193 average collection does not sound very intelligence led especially if 2 are large enough for prosecution ?

I hope HMRC can learn some lessons from their sample approach so they can use their resources more effectively.....for all our sakes..

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By samuelspaniel
09th Dec 2011 16:06

Tax Expansion?

In the same way that HMRC dislikes tax evasion by a taxpayer would it not also be the case that a taxpayer has every right to dislike a deliberate attempt by HMRC to expand the tax due - as a recent example, an Inspector managed to increase the tax due by nearly 4 times (ie to over £40,000), raised an assessment and then asked HMRC's debt management to collect it despite being fully aware that the taxpayer did not owe this sum!!!   If HMRC want the taxpayer to be honest with them, why does that mean HMRC has no reciprocal obligation to a taxpayer.  So, where exactly does fraud start and where does it end or does it depend on which side of the street you live?

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By spurs1952
09th Dec 2011 17:30

AND

with great stealth  five 10 man teams working constantly round the clock over a year eating and drinking themselves silly, and liaising with Interpol at weekly conferences in Barbados to check that this was no ongoing international fraud, finally managed to find that the cash taken for 2 haddock and chips did not go through the books.  

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By The Black Knight
12th Dec 2011 15:33

Sparking a new government incentive

to eat Black Bream instead !

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By samuelspaniel
12th Dec 2011 16:48

Found out

It was the side order of garden peas that gave the game away!

 

Moral?

 

Don't eat peas!

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Replying to sarah douglas:
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By The Black Knight
12th Dec 2011 17:04

immoral

samuelspaniel wrote:

Moral?

Don't eat peas!

Don't tell me that's immoral too !!

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