Pilot fined for fags smuggle

A PILOT who was caught at Edinburgh Airport smuggling 1000 illegal cigarettes into the UK has been fined.

Andrew Creelman, of Balmoral Drive, Bishopton, Renfrewshire, had flown from Zurich to London last November but remained on board as a passenger for the onward connection to Edinburgh.

Creelman, 54, claimed the cigarettes were a gift for someone else and that 15,400 cigarettes and 20 litres of spirits, which he had purchased on previous flights to Zurich, were within his duty free allowance.

At the City of London Magistrates Court, he pleaded guilty to the fraudulent evasion of £5602.16 duty. He was fined £1320, plus costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15.

HMRC’s Martin Brown said: “Andrew Creelman abused his position to evade UK duty.”