TUES 29/10/2002

Customs rap ministers
By DUNCAN LARCOMBE

CUSTOMS men launched an amazing attack on the Government last night as they backed The Sun’s Booze Cruise campaign.

 

A union representing 19,000 officers demanded action to stop them being made scapegoats for ministers’ policy.

The Public and Commercial Services Union usually stays silent on government issues, but hit out after months of complaints from Customs officers who are finding it hard to carry out their duties.

David Ash, of booze cruise campaign group ACCESS, said: “This is the clearest sign yet that Customs officers themselves are fed up with enforcing unlawful limits on booze and tobacco. This is a major breakthrough. It’s only a matter of time before the Government cracks.”

The PCS defended Customs officers but demanded clearer guidelines to ease their “difficulties”.

European laws allow Brits to bring back unlimited alcohol and tobacco from EU countries, but greedy Treasury officials have pressured Customs to impose an artificial limit on shoppers.
Bargains ... get on board
and save yourself a fortune

Join The Sun's £1 Armada

JOIN The Sun’s £1 Armada to France and have yourself a ferry Merry Christmas.

Our Hands Off Our Booze campaign has been so successful we have high hopes Customs officers will let YOU enjoy your legal right to bring back as many cigarettes and as much booze as you like for your own consumption.

We have teamed up with P&O Ferries to invite our ten million readers to pop across the Channel and shop till you drop from tomorrow until Christmas Eve.

There are brilliant food, booze and tobacco bargains to be had both in France and on board which will save you a small fortune.

You can travel as a foot passenger from Dover to Calais for £1 return or £5 on Saturdays.

Or sail from Portsmouth to Cherbourg or Le Havre for only £5 per person.

If you want to drive, you and up to four friends can take the car from Dover to Calais from just £10 return if you book on-line.
Freebie ... our Booze Cruise campaign T-shirts


Or from as little as £15 from Portsmouth to Cherbourg or Le Havre.

And look out for our Sun girls. From the end of next week they will be handing out car stickers, T-shirts and leaflets at major wine warehouses in Calais.

The Our Booze Cruise Campaign T-shirts will bear the slogan: I’m A Sun Reader. I Know My Rights.

To get aboard our fantastic France for £1 offer, you need THREE of the four differently numbered tokens we are printing in The Sun newspaper


So if you are a genuine bargain hunter — smugglers will NOT be welcome — join The Sun Armada and sail away to stock up for Christmas.

Nothing’s going to stop us!