Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol seized in Telford and Shrewsbury raids
Contraband including more than 3,500 litres of alcohol was seized across Telford and Shrewsbury on one day last week.
West Mercia Police worked with HM Revenue and Customs and Shropshire Trading Standards to visit five shops and two self-storage units on Thursday, seizing cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol believed to be illegal.
The visits, part of HMRC’s Tobacco Taskforce activity, led to suspected illegal tobacco and alcohol products being seized including 25,680 cigarettes, with an estimated £6,852.35 duty and VAT evaded; 18.25 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated £3,731.69 duty and VAT evaded; 3,489 litres of alcohol, with an estimated £5,276.97 duty and VAT evaded. One car was also seized by officers.
Paul Fisher, assistant director of the Fraud Investigation Service at 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 £2.5 billion a year, and the sale of illicit alcohol which costs the UK around £1.3 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.”
The owners of the five shops were interviewed by HMRC officers and investigations are ongoing.
