HC Deb 21 October 2003 vol 411 cc483-4W
Miss McIntosh

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what powers Customs and Excise officers may seize private vehicles at ports of entry in connection with duty paid goods. [133585]

John Healey

Section 141(1)(a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (CEMA) gives Customs the power to seize vehicles used in the carriage handling, deposit or concealment of goods liable to forfeiture.

Travellers may bring back to the UK as many duty-paid excise goods from another EU member state as they wish for their own use. But such goods which are not for their own use may not be brought back into the UK without payment of UK taxes, and are liable to forfeiture.