§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people entering the UK were questioned by HM Customs and Excise in each of the last five years on suspicion of alcohol smuggling; how many were carrying more alcohol than the suggested guidelines for imports for personal use; and how many of these were allowed to enter the country on the grounds that the alcohol was for personal use. [22041]
§ Mr. BoatengThis information is not available in the format requested.
Customs carefully target their anti-smuggling activity on those thought likely to be smuggling, and have no interest in legitimate cross-border shoppers. Accordingly only a very small proportion of the 90 million travellers who enter the UK each year are stopped by customs officers. Indeed, in 2000–01 less than 0.2 per cent. of the estimated 14 million travellers through the channel ports had goods seized by customs. The majority of people entering the UK with goods in excess of the minimum indicative levels were able to satisfy customs that the goods were for their own personal use.