CCP04060 - Customs Civil Penalty Warning Letter process: Referrals to Penalty Officers

Where the Salford Customs Civil Penalty (CCP) Team identify that a Warning Letter has already been issued within the previous two years for a similar contravention, or the contravention warrants Direct to Penalty action, see CCP02015, the compliance officer should refer the case to the CITEX Civil Penalty (CCPO) Network by completing the Civil Penalty Request For Action Form (CPRAF) (available from SEES) to consider issuing a Penalty Notice.

In order for the CITEX CCP Network to make an informed decision as to whether or not to issue a Penalty Notice the compliance officer should provide:

• the trader’s full details including EORI
• details of contravention (nature, date, place, entry details (if applicable), duty at stake etc)
• the Reason Code from the Schedules of Contraventions
• a copy of any previously issued Warning Letter
• all relevant correspondence, notes of telephone conversations, and visit reports
• relevant factors in respect of the trader’s compliance record; any previous education given; any mitigating circumstances; any information which may help the decision making process.