Tackling alcohol smuggling: outputs – April 2019 to April 2025
Updated 24 September 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-alcohol-smuggling-outputs/tackling-alcohol-smuggling-outputs-april-2016-to-april-2019
Tackling alcohol fraud is an HMRC priority. The HMRC Alcohol Strategy was launched in April 2010 and refreshed in 2016.
Our aims for alcohol, working with other enforcement agencies and the alcohol industry, are to:
- promote good compliance - making it easier for businesses to pay the right duties
- prevent tax losses - making it harder to make mistakes or to deliberately cheat, including addressing regime vulnerabilities, and exploring technology solutions to prevent fraud
- respond to those who cheat - increasing the impact of enforcement
The tax gap is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid. You can read about the tax gap for alcohol in 2023 to 2024
1. Alcohol inland seizures
April 2019 to March 2020
| Volume (Litres) | Duty (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 844,944 | 802,697 |
| Spirits | 41,106 | 549,180 |
| Wine | 262,181 | 935,988 |
| Total | 1,148,232 | 2,287,865 |
April 2020 to March 2021
| Volume (Litres) | Duty (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 102,923 | 97,777 |
| Spirits | 174,213 | 2,327,486 |
| Wine | 11,270 | 40,234 |
| Total | 288,406 | 2,465,496 |
April 2021 to March 2022
| Volume (Litres) | Duty (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 759,699 | 721,714 |
| Spirits | 25,772 | 344,314 |
| Wine | 205,421 | 733,353 |
| Total | 990,892 | 1,799,381 |
April 2022 to March 2023
| Volume (Litres) | Duty (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 925,709 | 879,423 |
| Spirits | 128,930 | 1,722,504 |
| Wine | 109,691 | 392,560 |
| Total | 1,164,600 | 2,994,489 |
April 2023 to March 2024
| Volume (Litres) | Duty (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 843,759 | 801,571 |
| Spirits | 32,185 | 420,991 |
| Wine | 87,885 | 313,749 |
| Total | 963,829 | 1,536,310 |
April 2024 to March 2025
| Volume (Litres) | Duty (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 3,158,895 | 3,424,609 |
| Spirits | 27,595 | 405,463 |
| Wine | 172,499 | 737,431 |
| Total | 3,358,989 | 4,567,503 |
2. Criminal enforcement
| Financial year | Number of arrests | Number of convictions |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 – 2020 | 12 | 9 |
| 2020 – 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 – 2022 | 16 | 3 |
| 2022 – 2023 | 2 | 8 |
| 2023 – 2024 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 – 2025 | 6 | 4 |
3. Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme (AWRS)
| Date | Received | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 – 2020 | 1,589 | 1,195 |
| 2020 – 2021 | 1,902 | 1,336 |
| 2021 – 2022 | 1,751 | 1,392 |
| 2022 – 2023 | 1,409 | 1,022 |
| 2023 – 2024 | 1,372 | 1,203 |
| 2024 – 2025 | 1,356 | 1,260 |
Current trader population: 10,625
Help HMRC tackle alcohol fraud
To report any kind of fraud, smuggling or tax evasion you can contact HMRC with the information, in confidence.
Next update
These figures will be refreshed again in September 2026.