A Peterborough man has been locked up for more than a year for his role in a £2 million cigarette fraud.

Piotr Baranowski of Lincoln Road, Peterborough, was a member of the group that smuggled about six million cigarettes into the UK, storing them at a remote unit outside Brixworth in rural Northamptonshire.

Three other members of the gang were jailed for a total of 11 years and 10 months in September.

Now Baranowski (47) has been jailed for a total of 14 months.

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A spokesperson for HMRC said the estimated revenue loss to the public purse was more than £2 million.

Alin Latco, 51, of Francis Avenue, Northampton, ran Mon Cher Cafe on Wellingborough Road, Northampton, which the gang used as a base for their criminal activity. CCTV captured members of the group meeting there and moving bags of cash in and around the premises. Cash bundles of about £67,000 inside a carrier bag were found at the cafe by HMRC officers.

The HMRC spokesperson said that a car driven by Baranowski was also stopped and about £349,000 in cash was found inside.

James Ham, Assistant Director at HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service said: “The illicit tobacco trade deprives our public services of funding, undercuts legitimate businesses and helps fund wider criminality.

“This gang were intent on flooding communities with cheap, illicit cigarettes and pocketing the proceeds – but HMRC was watching.”

Latco pleaded guilty to evading excise duty and conspiracy to transfer criminal property. He was sentenced to four years and four months in jail at Northampton Crown Court on 25 September.

Adrian Ghergel (45) of Hood Street, Northampton, pleaded guilty to evading excise duty and conspiracy to transfer criminal property. He was sentenced to four years in jail at Northampton Crown Court on 25 September.

Xoshawi Kalend (48) of St Leonards Road, Northampton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer criminal property. He was sentenced to 24 months in jail, suspended for 21 months at Northampton Crown Court on 25 September. He was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and an electronically monitored curfew for six months.

Sebastian Warzuchowski (40) originally from Darlowo, Poland, pleaded guilty to evading excise duty. He was sentenced to three years and six months in jail at Northampton Crown Court on 21 July 2023.