The HMRC’s Tobacco Taskforce has seized over 1 million illicit cigarettes in a crackdown over illegal trading.
In a two-day sting on shops and storage units across Greater Manchester, four specialist sniffer dogs helped to discover 73.6kg of hand-rolling tobacco, 52.3kg of shisha tobacco, 1,016,653 cigarettes and 74 litres of alcohol.
HMRC officers, backed by Greater Manchester Police, investigated over 60 premises on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October.
Two cars suspected of being used to transport the seized goods were impounded and one person was arrested for a separate police offence.
The total UK duty and VAT evaded for the suspected illegal products is thought to exceed £268,000.
Since 2000, the illicit market in cigarettes has more than halved. In the last two years, almost 3.3 billion cigarettes and over 800 tonnes of illicit hand-rolling tobacco have been seized and 593 criminals involved have been prosecuted.
Superintendent Andrea Jones of GMP’s Bolton Division said: “I hope these searches and subsequent seizures will reassure communities that not only are the police ready to act on intelligence from the public but also our partner agencies.”
Sandra Smith, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “The sale of illegal tobacco and alcohol will not be tolerated by us or our partner agencies.
“Disrupting criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs the UK around £2.1 billion a year, and the sale of illicit alcohol which costs the UK around £1 billion per year.
“This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.
“We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or alcohol to contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”
