Two men have appeared in court accused of tax evasion after almost 300,000 cigarettes were found in a van stopped on the M6 in north Cumbria.
Mohammed Iqbal, 41, and 38-year-old Mohammed Javaid each face one charge.
This alleges fraudulent evasion of a provision — specifically that both men were concerned in fraudulent evasion of an excise duty after a Vauxhall Vivaro van was stopped on January 18 this year.
This was pulled over by police on the motorway at Todhills close to Carlisle.
Iqbal is said to have been the van driver and Javaid the passenger of a vehicle containing tobacco products — namely 280,200 cigarettes.
Both men appeared in front of Recorder Julian Shaw at Carlisle Crown Court on Monday morning and pleaded not guilty to the charges they respectively face.
A jury trial was listed and this, it is estimated, will last around four days. It is due to start at the crown court in the week of July 1, 2024.
In the meantime Iqbal, of Maldon Street, and Javaid, of Bamford Way, both Rochdale, Greater Manchester, remain on unconditional bail.
