Taxi Driver Online

Loophole lets £20m tobacco smuggler set up Kilmarnock minicab firm


A SMUGGLER jailed over Britain's biggest bootleg tobacco bust has set up business as a taxi firm boss.

Tommy Burns's conviction bans him from operating minicabs but he uses a pal to front the operation.

And he thumbs his nose at the authorities by giving the firm in Kilmarnock his own name.

One source said: "It's ridiculous that nothing has been done about this.

"Burns is the real bos of these cars and everyone in Kilmarnock knows about it.

"How he can be allowed to operate a taxi firm with his conviction is beyond belief."

Burns set up T Burns Taxis Ltd and has at least two motors on the road with the town's Thistle Cabs - a Skoda Octavia and a Renault Espace.

Thistle Cabs is run by Jimmy Gilmour, a friend of Burns who became a millionaire when he sold his farm to Robert Wiseman Dairies almost 10 years ago.

Burns, 49, is exploiting a licensing loophole which allows him to operate a taxi service while licences for the cars are held by other people.

He was jailed in 2003 after Revenue and Customs smashed his gang's £20million scam but he was forced to hand over just £6000 under proceeds of crime laws.

His mob raked in the huge sum after making more than 3500 journeys across the English Channel.

Their trips between Dover and Calais were so frequent they made up 60 per cent of a travel agent's Hoverspeed allocation.

Customs stopped couriers 60 times but never found enough tobacco to warrant an arrest.

However, they tipped off police who tailed the gang and linked them before making arrests. They were convicted of conspiracy to fraudulently evade duty.

Burns was jailed for 30 months at Maidstone Crown Court after a 13-week trial.

The former karate champ was released early with an electronic tag and he moved to Carlisle until he had it removed.

Burns, who lives in a luxury flat next to Kilmarnock FC's Rugby Park stadium, is listed as a director of his firm at Companies House and a female friend is described as a book-keeper.

MSPs are discussing legislation which will make it tougher for individuals to operate taxi firms. Crooks are only banned from obtaining a licence to drive cabs.

East Ayrshire Council said: "We will liaise with the proper authorities to see whether action can be taken."

Gilmour said: "My company isn't breaking any licensing laws."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Will the new regulations coming into play in April ,will this not stop this kind of thing happening. The same thing is happening with a private hire firm in Dundee the owner is unable to get the licenses in his name.I can only hope that the new regulations that all taxi offices should be licensed puts a stop on theses individuals being able to run Dodgee offices.

Should go a long way to stopping it.

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IDFIMH

Let's hope so

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

How come when seeing the headline I have visions of caves and long lost treasure?

CC

The guy in the news story was once called Bunny Burns.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

That's where a career with Celtic gets you.

He's hardly one of the f*cking Kray twins is he

ffs

slow news week in Killie?

CC

Al Capone only ever got done for tax evasion. Or should that be Saint Al Capone to you Captain!

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Grandad,

How many months did the guy serve?

Prison is for rehabilitation ain't it?

CC

Is it, when I applied to join the prison service many years ago I was asked why I wanted to join. My answer was something along the lines that I thought it was a worthwhile career helping to rehabilitate prisoners so that they are able to make a positive contribution to society.


I didn't get in.

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Grandad,

Mr Burns should have been given a gong for business and not jailed.
How many company's are making money today
By jailing him he left half of Scotland without there duty free so they had to go and get there own
So instead of whisky galore its now backy galore.
When you look at it the government keeps on putting duty up so that more people can have a mini break by seeing some of the docklands and warehouses of Europe
I would say that there is now more duty free in the Uk than duty paid products

£20m tobacco smuggler being put up by UDA thug


A TERRORIST hitman is living in a house owned by a £20million tobacco smuggler.

Exiled former Ulster Defence Association thug Gary "Smickers" Smith, 43, has struck up a close bond with bootlegger Tommy Burns, 49.

Smith lives in a £170,000 house in Kilmarnock bought 18 months ago by Burns, who runs a taxi business.

One gangland source said: "They're as thick as thieves.

Smith was a very senior member of the UDA in Belfast and a really nasty piece of work. He and Burns meet in a cafe most mornings. They have serious contacts in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and mainland Europe."

Smith lives in Barbadoes Place, minutes from Burns' flat next to Kilmarnock FC's Rugby Park stadium.

The Loyalist thug was a commander of Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair's C Company.

The gang were linked to 20 sectarian murders.

In 1995, Smith was jailed for 16 years for conspiracy to murder and gun possession.

He was freed after four years under the Good Friday agreement but was later jailed twice for terrorist offences.

Three weeks ago The Sunday Mail told how former karate champ Burns had set up a taxi firm in Kilmarnock. He was jailed for 30 months in 2003 after Revenue and Customs smashed a £20million tobacco smuggling gang.

Despite being convicted, Burns was able to set up a cab firm and even named it T Burns Taxis.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin