John Culatto
A CUSTOMS officer has been sent to prison for half a year in Gibraltar after being caught stealing import duty at the frontier checkpoint.
Local man Kristian Origo, 30, admitted crimes of theft and false accounting on the job carried out between November 5 and December 12, 2019.
The RGP’s Criminal Investigation Department looked into the case after a complaint was made by his employer.
An extensive investigation was carried out by CID detectives after his arrest in December 2019.
Origo was sentenced on December 17 for the crimes after pleading guilty to the charges of Theft and False Accounting.
He will now serve time at Windmill Hill prison with many of the smugglers imprisoned during the last year.
Gibraltar Customs officers handle large sums of money from importers to the Rock at the frontier checkpoint.
Import duty could disappear if the Rock agrees a Common Market agreement with the EU during forthcoming talks.
The European treaty would see Gibraltar becoming part of the Schengen area in June with the disappearance of the land frontier.
The only border patrol points would be at the sea and air ports, with Frontex guarding entry to the British territory.
