Illicit tobacco and alcohol seized

Illicit tobacco and alcohol seized

An operation to disrupt the sale and supply of illegal tobacco and alcohol across Greater Manchester uncovered more than 1.2 million illegal cigarettes, over 68 kilos of hand-rolling and ethnic tobacco and over 2,000 litres of alcohol.

Around 25 officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), with support from Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, and Trafford Council Trading Standards and Greater Manchester Police, visited 25 retail premises and self storage units this week.

The visits, as part of HMRC’s Tobacco Taskforce activity, led to tobacco and alcohol products being seized from 17 premises. This included:

• 1,240,268 cigarettes, with £278,000 duty and VAT evaded
• 68.95 kilos of hand-rolling and shisha tobacco, with £12,000 duty and VAT evaded
• 2,016.50 litres of alcohol, with £10,000 duty and VAT evaded

Sandra Smith, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation, 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 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.”