CUSTOMS officers netted a large haul of contraband cigarettes in the North-East yesterday.

Fourteen officials discovered 3.3 million Regal cigarettes concealed in pallets of wood at a warehouse in an industrial unit at North Shields, Tyneside.

It is believed that the illegal haul was just hours from being broken down and distributed for sale on the region's streets.

Nine people were interviewed at the scene but no arrests were made. Customs investigations are ongoing.

Rob Hastings-Trew, spokes-man for Northern England, said: "Once again, the organised criminal gangs who are responsible for the majority of the tobacco smuggling into this country have chosen to target the North-East.

"This consignment, which we believe came from Eastern Europe, would have netted a profit of over £200,000 for those involved."

The haul represents yet another victory for officers who are working to smash a growing criminal industry.

In the first six months of this year, Customs has broken up 25 organised gangs that bring huge volumes of illicit cigarettes into the country.

The bust will be welcomed by newsagents in the region who, research by the Independent Retail News shows, have suffered a drop in sales of more than 20 per cent at the hands of contraband cigarette smuggling.