Five million cigarettes seized in Worcestershire

A 53-year old man has been arrested

A 53-year old man has been arrested following the seizure of over five million illegal cigarettes in the Redditch area by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers. The cigarettes, worth an estimated £1 million in lost revenue, were uncovered in the early hours of this morning.

The cigarettes were in a ‘coverload' of industrial outdoor flooring commonly used for recreational areas, sports and playgrounds.

Adrian Farley, Criminal Investigations HMRC said

"We are looking into the origins of these cigarettes which may have been smuggled into the UK using the flooring in an attempt to disguise their presence. This type of crime undercuts legitimate retailers and the cigarettes are often sold cheaply to children and young people. Anyone with local information about illicit tobacco sales or smuggling should contact the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000”.

Investigations are continuing into the ‘Gold Classic' cigarettes and the man arrested has been bailed.

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