A bit off

I presume that this was thought to be legal because it took place outside the twelve-mile limit:

CUSTOMS officers have detained the boat of a yachtsman who set up an off-shore "off-licence".

Phil Berriman was selling alcohol and cigarettes at duty-free prices from his 72ft-schooner, Rich Harvest, anchored 13 miles from shore.

Customers had to sail out into the North Sea but once aboard Rich Harvest could buy leading brands of cigarettes and spirits for a fraction of the mainland shop price.

Despite warnings from Custom and Excise officers, Mr Berriman said his scheme was legal.

I wish Mr Berriman the best of luck. There's not much point in being in the EU if we can't import what we want from our fellow member countries.

Incidentally, I wonder why the Scotsman has displayed this story about an Englishman, operating off the English coastline, under its "Scotland" news rather than in the "UK" section. Has the border moved south over the weekend?