MANCHESTER: Hand-rolling tobacco, shisha tobacco and more than 70 litres of alcohol were also recovered in the operation, which spanned across Manchester and Bolton
More than a million suspected illegal cigarettes have been seized in raids by customs officers.
Hand-rolling tobacco, shisha tobacco and more than 70 litres of alcohol were also recovered in the operation, which spanned across Manchester and Bolton.
HM Revenue and Customs believe £268,900 in duty and VAT has been evaded.
The operation, codenamed Scarey, was launched to disrupt the sale and supply of illegal tobacco and alcohol.
Packets of cigarettes were found hidden inside a false wall at one address
Officers visited 50 retail premises and 12 storage units on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Illegal tobacco and bottles of alcohol were seized from 29 premises.
The total haul recovered was 1,016,653 cigarettes, 74 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco, 52 kilos of shisha tobacco and 74 litres of alcohol.
Packets of cigarettes were found hidden inside a false wall at one address targeted.
Police seized the illegal tobacco and alcohol from 29 premises
Sandra Smith, assistant director of the HMRC’s fraud investigation service, said: “Disrupting criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs the UK around £2.1 billion a year, and the sale of illicit alcohol which costs the UK around £1 billion per year.
“This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.”
HMRC said investigations over potential criminal or civil actions were continuing. Two vehicles were also seized.
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