CUSTOMS officers have confirmed they are taking a tough new line with criminals who buy cheap tobacco on the Continent to sell illegally in the North-East.

Because the British Government imposes higher taxes than countries such as France and Belgium, cigarettes and tobacco cost half as much on the Continent.

The European Union has also increased the individual allowance to 3,200 cigarettes and three kilos of tobacco per trip, although it is still illegal to sell what is brought in.

But Customs officers and tobacco industry organisations say criminals are organising trips across the channel making huge profits back home, with the North-East a major target.

Rob Hastings-Trew, Customs spokesman for the region, said import limits were enough to last a smoker six months, but officers had identified people travelling much more frequently.

He said: "The North-East is the area which the smugglers target because a lot of people smoke and if you have somewhere where you believe you can sell, you target it."

Customs officers estimate 20 per cent of Britain's black market cigarettes come in via passengers using ports, airports or the Channel Tunnel. The remainder is trafficked by organised criminals using sea freight containers.

Mr Hastings-Trew said the service used to prosecute when it believed a custodial sentence would result and act as a deterrent, but now more smugglers were being targeted even where a jail term was not guaranteed.

Tim Lord, chief executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association, met Government finance minister John Healey last week to press for lower duties to leave a £1 difference between UK prices and those on the Continent. He said that would remove the incentive which drives the trade.

A spokesman for the Treasury confirmed the level of duty was imposed to reduce smoking on health grounds.