Van found with thousands of illegal cigarettes in Darlington

The van, which was parked on Edinburgh Drive, near the junction with Teesdale Avenue, in the Mowden area of Darlington was found on Sunday (June 19) morning.

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Police were called to the scene near Hummersknott Academy at 7.05am on Sunday morning to reports of a van having had its side door ‘ripped off’.

Boxes of illegal cigarettes were seen scattered around the van.

Enquiries into the incident are ongoing.  

Cigarettes, which have now been confirmed as illegal and have been seized, were found strewn across the road and piled up in boxes in the back of the van.

One passer-by who was out walking their dog told The Northern Echo they saw ‘hundreds and hundreds of cigarettes thrown across the road and thousands still in the van’ and said the van’s side door had been ‘peeled off’.

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A police investigation into the incident is now underway and Durham Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

The van contained boxes of illegal cigarettes.

A spokesperson for Durham Police said: “Anyone with any information that could assist officers with the investigation is asked to contact Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident number 77 of June 19.”

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