Ferry firm sues over Customs curbs

HOVERSPEED is planning to sue Customs and Excise for up to £30m, claiming its 'over zealous' clampdown on alcohol and tobacco smuggling has put people off using its Channel ferries.

Booze cruises have been hit by a severe Customs and Excise campaign limiting the amount of cigarettes, beer and spirits making their way into Britain.

But Hoverspeed claims it has suffered a serious loss of business because of a harsh approach and is carrying out 'lengthy forensic accounting' to determine the exact size of the claim.

Customs and Excise said it would 'vigorously contest' the action, which is expected to go before a court by the end of the year.

A Hoverspeed spokesman said its claim followed a test case it brought last year on behalf of a family who had 25,200 cigarettes, 17.5lb of tobacco, two cases of wine and some spirits seized.

The Court of Appeal ruled that Customs officers could continue to use profiling in deciding when to search travellers. But the judges added that the family was stopped unlawfully at Dover because Customs had not put forward reasonable ground for suspicion.