Black market puppy breeders including a former Crufts judge are ordered to pay back thousands after RSPCA and Trading Standards officers caught them in a nationwide operation to recover more than £5m in unpaid taxes Puppy breeders across the UK ordered to pay back more than £5million in taxes HM Revenue and Customs recovered lost taxes from 257 separate cases Those targeted included former Crufts judge ordered to hand back £185,000 By Ed Riley For Mailonline Published: 10:35 BST, 7 May 2019 | Updated: 10:35 BST, 7 May 2019 Viewcomments Puppy breeders including a former Crufts judge have been ordered to repay more than £5million in lost taxes in a crackdown on traders selling dogs on the black market. HM Revenue and Customs recovered the huge sum in unpaid taxes from 257 separate cases in a four year operation targeting dogs being sold illegally across the UK. Among those HMRC said were targeted by its special taskforce were a former Crufts judge breeding puppies in the Midlands, who was found to owe £185,000 in unpaid tax. A breeder in Swansea is being ordered to pay back £110,000, and unconnected puppy breeders in the West of Scotland who were handed tax bills of £425,000 and £337,000. HM Revenue and Customs recovered the huge sum in unpaid taxes from 257 separate cases in a four year operation targeting dogs being sold illegally across the UK. Pictured: Dogs recovered during Operation Delphin Others included a dealer in Northern Ireland, told to pay £185,000 in tax while a Somerset breeder was given a £114,000 bill. HMRC launched the investigation in 2015, after animal welfare groups expressed concerns puppies were being reared on a mass scale and sold illicitly in the UK. Several arrests have been made during the operation, and a total of £5,393,035 in lost taxes. Durham kennel owner, Kevin Knox, pleaded guilty to the fraudulent evasion of tax and VAT in March 2018. Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mel Stride MP, said: 'It is utterly appalling that anyone would want to treat puppies in such an inhumane way and on such a scale. HMRC launched the investigation in 2015, after animal welfare groups expressed concerns puppies were being reared on a mass scale and sold illicitly in the UK HMRC is involved in Operation Delphin – a multi-agency collaboration across the UK and Ireland, designed to tackle illegal puppy smuggling. Pictured: Puppies found in the boot of a car 'It’s also deeply unfair to all of the legitimate businesses who do pay the right tax, and the total recovered by the taskforce is equivalent to the annual salaries for more than 200 newly qualified teachers.' HMRC is also involved in Operation Delphin – a multi-agency collaboration across the UK and Ireland, designed to tackle illegal puppy smuggling. It is led by the Scottish SPCA and includes partners such as the RSPCA, Ulster SPCA, Dublin SPCA, Irish SPCA, HMRC, Border Force, and the police. The head of the Scottish SPCA’s Special Investigations Unit, who cannot be named due to his undercover operations, said: 'Unfortunately, the puppy trade is big business with thousands of dogs being brought into the country each year, particularly from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. As part of Operation Delphin's activities, the SSPCA said it had seized 27 puppies smuggled from Ireland at Cairnryan Port in Dumfries and Galloway. Pictured: Some of the puppies rescued in the operation 'It is a multi-million pound industry and many of these poor dogs are bred on large scale puppy farms with little to no regard for their welfare. 'We have seized 27 puppies smuggled from Ireland at Cairnryan Port in Dumfries and Galloway as part of Operation Delphin, which is dedicated to ending the illegal puppy dealing industry and bringing those who prioritise profits over animal welfare to justice. 'It’s a barbaric trade which commands huge profit from selling puppies. Often these puppies are kept in appalling conditions and this leads to injuries, health issues and behavioural problems. 'Some are so far gone that they pass away from complications due to the way they are bred and kept. 'The efforts of all involved in the taskforce have helped us to make inroads in to this brutal trade but it is a growing problem.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility