A FISH and chip van and two ice cream vans have been seized by customs officers in a crackdown on the North-East's illegal cigarette trade.

One of the traders targeted in the raids was found to be selling bootleg cigarettes - in bags of threes and fours - in the Durham City area, possibly aimed at under-age smokers.

Half a million contraband cigarettes were confiscated when more than 40 HM Customs and Excise officials raided 188 premises, many of them private homes, in a four-day operation across the region.

Large quantities of hand-rolling tobacco, spirits, beer and wine were also seized in the haul.

The haul included:

l In County Durham - 153,580 cigarettes, 288kg of hand-rolling tobacco, 1,053 litres of spirits, 299 litres of wine, 2,279 litres of beer.

l In Teesside - 111,670 cigarettes, 73kg of tobacco, 104 cigars, 60 litres of spirits, 110 litres of wine.

l In Newcastle and Northumberland - 113,200 cigarettes, 104kg of tobacco, 1,000 cigarillos, 269 litres of spirits.

l In Wearside and South Tyneside - 174,720 cigarettes, 46kg of tobacco, 1,274 litres of spirits, 563 litres of wine, 2,904 litres of beer.

Officers confiscated seven vehicles, including the food selling vans, believed to have been used to smuggle contraband items into the region.

The haul mirrors an operation conducted in May during which a similar number of cigarettes was discovered.

Rob Hastings-Trew, Customs spokesman for the North, said: "Our message following the operation in May was 'we will be back'. We've come back - and will go on coming back as long as the problem of smuggled tobacco exists in the North-East.

"Our message to the parasites who deal in smuggled tobacco is 'it could be your turn next'."

Customs officials have vowed to return to the region in the future to continue hitting contraband sales at street levels.

But the lucrative industry has a firm grip on the region.

Mr Hastings-Trew believes the depressed Northern economy makes it an easy target for racketeers.

He said: "It is about the socio-economic climate of the North-East.

"There are many people that smoke who do not have a lot of money. They do not realise the money goes into the pocket of criminals - people they would not want to support."