by Alan McBride
HOMESTEAD, FLA.
A south Florida man was sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling cigarettes out of Florida and into Europe, in an attempt to avoid paying customs and tax duties, according to court records.
Federal officials said Roman Vidal, 57, had conspired with other people from European nations to dodge more than $5 million in taxes on the cigarettes.
According to case documents, Vidal bought the cigarettes in Panama and had them shipped into southern Florida ports, such as Port Everglades, concealed with other cargo.
Officials said the smokes were then transshipped to European destinations.
Federal investigators said Vidal managed to smuggle more than 27 million cigarettes out of south Florida during a period from December 2001 to April 2008.
They said the smuggling operation cheated the British, Irish, and Spanish governments out of millions of tax dollars.
Vidal was sentenced late last week, according to court records.
© 2010