Seized goods 'leave' HMRC depot
HMRC is refusing to say when the theft took place and what goods are missing
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Sunday, 16, Dec 2007 02:27
The government has been plunged into another crisis after seized drugs, weapons and passports went missing from a customs depot.
Contraband seized by customs officers disappeared from the secure depot near to Coventry airport.
Up to £80,000 of cocaine is among the illegal goods that have vanished from the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) store before last weekend.
HMRC officials said they are cooperating with Warwickshire police and insist the department has stepped up security.
A customs spokesman said: "We can confirm that a small number of items are missing from one of our offices in the Coventry area.
"We cannot comment further on this matter, it's the subject of an ongoing investigation. We are taking this matter very seriously."
The scandal is the latest to rock HMRC which recently lost the child benefit database containing banking and personal details of 25 million people.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said this is another shocking security breach.
"This is yet another disaster from HMRC, a shocking security breach from the same government department that last month admitted it had lost half the country's personal details," Osborne said.
"We expect the Government to protect us. The very least they can do is look after the drugs that they confiscate."
The depot is used to store thousands of pounds worth of contraband seized after it enters the UK illegally in parcels shipped from abroad.
The unit is secured by high-tech electronic combination locks and police are investigating if the items were stolen or have been mislaid.