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The UK's HMRC has issued a press release announcing the conviction and sentencing of Steven Gates for unlicensed exports of eight military-grade rifle sights to a buyer in Hong Kong.
Customs declarations were also falsified to say the sights were camera equipment.
One export was prevented in February 2022 by Border Force staff at Manchester Airport, and another in April 2023.
Searches at his house revealed evidence of another 10 exports.
Mr Gates has been sentenced to jail for 2 years and one month.
Importantly, the press release notes that HMRC is "pursuing 51 criminal investigations in 2024/205 compared with give in 2021/22".
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