A TRIO of businessmen facing charges of smuggling up to £5 million of contraband cigarettes have appeared before magistrates in Ipswich.Ronald Brennan, 70, of Chislehurst, Kent; Michael Phillips, 69, of West Moors, Dorset; and Benham Qajar Alagha, 55, of Epsom, Surrey; are alleged to have evaded duty on cigarettes they smuggled through the Port of Felixstowe between August 3, 2000, and October 18, 2000.

By James Fraser

A TRIO of businessmen facing charges of smuggling up to £5 million of contraband cigarettes have appeared before magistrates in Ipswich.

Ronald Brennan, 70, of Chislehurst, Kent; Michael Phillips, 69, of West Moors, Dorset; and Benham Qajar Alagha, 55, of Epsom, Surrey; are alleged to have evaded duty on cigarettes they smuggled through the Port of Felixstowe between August 3, 2000, and October 18, 2000.

The hearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates was adjourned until February 15.