Men charged over cigarette haul

Three men have appeared in court charged with evading import duty after 600,000 cigarettes and a quantity of tobacco were seized in Leicestershire.

Colin Homer, 47, denied two charges of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of import duty and two charges of keeping dutiable goods.

Mr Homer, of Sandiacre in Derbyshire, is alleged to have committed the offences between 20 December and 30 April.

Brian McMahon, 54, and Vitaly Ostepenko, 28, each denied a charge of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of import duty on 30 April.

Judge Michael Stokes, at Leicester Crown Court, adjourned the case for a further directions hearing.

The three men were released on bail.

A fourth man, 26-year-old Latvian student Igors Demcakovs, failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.