Cigarette smuggler is jailed

An Essex man involved in a multi-million pound cigarette smuggling operation has been jailed for four years.

Paul Ellingham, 35, of Highfield Road, Chelmsford, was arrested in March 2003 after leaving a bank in Hertfordshire with more than £500,000 in Euros.

The cash was thought to have been the proceeds of a smuggling operation which bought millions of cigarettes into the country through Felixstowe Docks in Suffolk.

An HM Customs and Excise investigation found that Ellingham had helped launder more than £6.2m at banks across Essex and Hertfordshire.

Guilty plea

At a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Monday, Ellingham was jailed for two-and-a-half years after he admitted being involved in the smuggling operation.

He was given a further 18 months after pleading guilty to money laundering.

Shane Valaitis, 36, of Watlington Road, Old Harlow, Essex, was convicted of his part in the operation last month and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.

Jim Jarvie, assistant chief investigation officer for Customs and Excise said cigarette smuggling generates vast amounts of cash.

"Working with partners, customs are hitting the criminal organisations where it hurts most, depriving them of the proceeds of their crimes and preventing that money financing further criminal activities," he said.