Millions of counterfeit cigarettes seized (From The Northern Echo)

Millions of counterfeit cigarettes seized

12:04pm Wednesday 17th January 2007 in

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More than seven million counterfeit cigarettes have been seized in a raid carried out by customs officers.

The massive haul was found in a raid on a commercial property in the Easington area of County Durham last friday.

Customs officers said the contraband was likely to be worth in excess of £1 million.

John Kinghorn, HM Revenue & Customs head of detection, said: "We have highlighted the North East as one of the worst areas in the UK for smuggled cigarettes and tobacco.

"This seizure shows that the region is playing host to the organised criminal gangs who are behind the high levels of smuggling crime.

Some people assume that cigarette smuggling is a fairly low level crime and often the public turn a blind eye to it, but what they dont realise is that this activity means big business for criminals and their gangs.

"These gangs will go to great lengths to smuggle in goods and they are making a hefty profit at the expense of the honest taxpayer."

The investigation is ongoing.