³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A fugitive who was part of a gang that processed smuggled tobacco in several factories is starting an eight-year jail term for the £17m fraud.

Robert Zduniak, 43, was convicted and jailed in his absence in May 2017 at Manchester Crown Court for conspiracy to cheat the public revenue.

The Polish national fled the trial but was traced to Prague and caught and extradited on 28 December.

Zduniak, of Gloucester Road, Blackburn, had his sentence confirmed on Thursday.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said Zduniak, from Katowice, was part of an organised gang that processed the smuggled raw tobacco in illegal factories in Preston, Blackburn, Bury and Essex.

The gang smuggled 100 tonnes of raw tobacco over 15 months from the Czech Republic to produce illegal tobacco products to evade Excise Duty and VAT, said HMRC.

The tobacco was worth £17m in lost taxation.

Tony Capon, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: "A new year and a new start for Zduniak - behind bars. He'll have plenty of time to carefully consider any resolutions he wants to make.

"Zduniak must have thought he was free and clear, but we've brought him back to face justice."

Zduniak's co defendants Hubert Jankowski, 39, of Gigg Lane, Bury, and Lukasz Pawelec, 33, of Main Road, Nottingham, were each convicted and jailed for four years on 26 May 2017.

Pawelec had also tried to escape but was caught at Doncaster Airport and remanded in custody for the remainder of his trial.