One of Ireland’s top food producers has been found guilty of dodging taxes on more than 1,000 tons of imported Chinese garlic and sent to prison.

Paul Begley admitted running a scam from 2003 to 2007 in which he instructed his Chinese suppliers to produce false export invoices labeling garlic as apples. Irish import duties on apples are just 9 percent but on garlic up to 232 percent.

The fraud allowed Begley to avoid €1.4 million in tax. He has been trying to repay the sum since Dublin Port customs officers discovered the deception in 2007 but still owes €700,000.

A Dublin judge sentenced Begley to six years in prison…

Phew! Anyone notice tax avoiders in the USofA getting lambasted with a comparable penalty?

OTOH, why such a monster tariff on garlic? Are they preparing to defend against a vampire invasion?