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The sum included failing to pay £240,000 in VAT on the sale of their former restaurants and the gang also lied about their takings to avoid tax and even stole tips due to staff, with one spending money on holidays to Florida, Mauritius and Dubai. Cash earned at Panche restaurant in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, was also siphoned off to Bangladesh.

But Mohammed Sharif Uddin, 51, Mizanur Rahman, 47, Sadiqur Rahman, 48 and 44-year-old Abul Kamal were snagged and have since been jailed for a total of 10 years.

HMRC has already helped recover £490,000 after confiscation hearings concluded against Kamal, Uddin and Sadiqur Rahman at Birmingham Crown Court.

Mizanhur Rahman, who was sentenced to three years in prison, was ordered last week to pay a further £110,940.

The businessman, of Wednesbury, West Midlands, must pay within 28 days or will face a further 12 months in prison, reports Birmingham Live.

Debbie Porter, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said: “Our work does not stop when someone is convicted. We will always seek to reclaim criminal money and assets.

“Confiscated proceeds of crime are redistributed into the public purse, which helps fund vital services such as schools and hospitals.

“If you know of anyone who is committing tax fraud, you can report them to HMRC online, or call our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

HMRC investigators found the men hid the majority of their cash takings and pocketed staff tips from the Indian restaurant.

The men also stole another £295,000 in tax credits by lying about their income.

All four admitted fraud during a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court on December 14, 2017 and were jailed in November 2018.

Sadiqur Rahman, of Wednesbury, was sentenced to three years in prison. Both were also disqualified from acting as a director for seven years.

Sharif Uddin, 51, also from Wednesbury, was sentenced to two years prison, suspended for two years.

And Abul Kamal, of West Bromwich, West Midlands, was sentenced to two years prison, suspended for two years. The latter two were also disqualified from acting as a director for five years.

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