200,000 cigarettes are seized in raids
Almost 200,000 illegal cigarettes have been uncovered following raids in the Black Country and Birmingham.
Almost 200,000 illegal cigarettes have been uncovered following raids in the Black Country and Birmingham.
The majority of the haul was found in West Bromwich, with cigarettes also found in Walsall and Birmingham.
As well as tobacco, officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) with the help of a tobacco detection dog also confiscated hand-rolling tobacco and counterfeit spirits.
The action was taken to disrupt the illegal trade and saw brands including Jin Ling, L&Ms, West and Walton seized.
It is estimated the loss of revenue to the public purse from the goods would be £50,000.
Last Tuesday, a raid on a self-storage unit in West Bromwich uncovered 158,240 cigarettes, 66lbs of hand rolling tobacco and 221.2 litres of fake spirits. A suspect was arrested and has been released on bail, pending further enquiries.
On the same day, 23,080 cigarettes and 4lbs of hand rolling tobacco were recovered from a shop in Birmingham and on Thursday 9,550 mixed brand cigarettes were seized from a shop in Caldmore Green in Walsall.
Keith Morgan, specialist investigation detection manager for HMRC, said: "We take tobacco smuggling very seriously."
