Glasgow directors banned after importing more than 350,000 vapes disguised as medical equipment in £15 million tax evasion scheme

Both directors disqualified as company directors until 2035

Two company directors have been disqualified after their business imported vapes disguised as medical equipment and evaded millions of pounds in tax.

Border Force officers intercepted a shipment of 352,688 vapes addressed to YSK Enterprises Limited in Harwich in 2023, after goods labelled as nebulisers were found to be e-cigarettes.

YSK Enterprises Limited had imported large quantities of vapes from China between February and April 2023 but told HMRC it owed no VAT on the sales and failed to submit any corporation tax returns.

HMRC calculated that the company, directed by Kyle McGinness and Leanne Moynes, owed almost £15 million in unpaid VAT and customs duty, and a further £437,101 in corporation tax.

Moynes also failed to preserve the company’s accounting records, despite repeated requests from the liquidator. As a result, it was not possible for investigators to verify what happened to more than £1.6 million of the company’s assets, including land, machinery and vehicles.

McGinness, 24, of Barnton Street, Glasgow, was disqualified as a company director for nine years in June this year.

Moynes, 37, of Greenhill Street, Rutherglen, was also disqualified for nine years, with her ban coming into effect on Thursday 13 August.

Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation Services at the Insolvency Service, said: