Rogues picture gallery released

For the first time, HMRC have released a rogues picture gallery and are asking for members of the public to help find some of the country's most wanted tax criminals. The gallery which has been published on HMRC’s flickr channel includes pictures of HMRC’s Top 20 Most Wanted and includes details of their crimes and the amount of tax which has been evaded.

Crimes committed include: large-scale VAT fraud people, money laundering and the smuggling of millions of counterfeit cigarettes. The list also includes individuals where there is a warrant for their arrest including an Irish man wanted for VAT offences who received bail in December 2009 and has absconded.

Launching the initiative, David Gauke, the Exchequer Secretary, said:

'The Government is absolutely committed to tackling tax evasion and fraud. These criminals have collectively cost the taxpayer over £765m and HMRC will pursue them relentlessly. We hope that publishing their pictures in this way will enable members of the public to contribute to the effort to catch them.'

Members of the public can contact HMRC’s Customs, Excise and VAT fraud section by phone, email or post. Alternatively, the Crimestoppers website can also be used to report leads anonymously. The mug shots are available to view online at www.flickr.com/photos/hmrcgovuk