1000s of fake cigarettes found

More than 40,000 counterfeit cigarettes were seized in a customs raid on a house in Staffordshire.

A man and a woman in their fifties were the target of the operation by HM Revenue and Customs officers yesterday in Cannock.

Officers had received information that cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco were being sold illegally from the premises. As well as the cigarettes, 11.55 kilos of counterfeit hand rolling tobacco was seized. They would have robbed the public purse of over £9,500 in lost revenue.

Customs officers also seized a Ford Mondeo car which was later restored on payment of a £2,500 release fee.

No arrests have currently been made following the raid in Pye Green Road. Further investigations are now under way pending potential criminal charges.

The tobacco products will be incinerated and recycled to provide power to the national grid.

Keith Morgan, detection manager for HM Revenue and Customs, said: "This latest seizure highlights the importance of our role in the community in helping to stamp out illegal trading, smuggling and tax evasion.

"Those selling illicit tobacco products are stealing around £3 billion from the nation each year. In additional counterfeit cigarettes pose extra health risks to the public due to the highly toxic set of ingredients they contain.

"With expertly crafted packaging it is almost impossible to spot counterfeit cigarettes until you experience the ill effects from smoking them."

Mr Morgan encouraged anyone with information relating to suspected stolen or illegally imported goods to contact a confidential hotline on 0800 595000 or email customs.confidential@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk