Tim Hampson of the BLRA speaking on Radio 5 Live: "It's not a victimless crime"

That is the claim of British brewers who fear their trade is under renewed threat from low-duty alcohol sold on the continent.

Imports are up 32% on this time last year, as smugglers stock up to supply soccer fans for the five-week tournament.

Last month an estimated 10,000 vans crossed the Channel by ferry on what has become widely known as the "booze cruise".

The "booze cruise" is harming British brewers

The figure, which is the highest since the European Single Market began, is an estimate from the Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association.

The BLRA keeps a close watch on the "van trade" between Britain and France, which it has long claimed is harming pub and off-licence sales in the UK, where tax rates on alcohol are among the highest in Europe.

Normally it keeps its findings secret but has decided to go public now, because of the "staggering" increase in trade.

Covert monitoring

Tim Hampson of the BLRA said: "Our on-going undercover surveillance operation in Calais reported a staggering increase in the number of vans carrying beer back to Britain - over 350 a day.

"We've never, ever seen so many vans coming over in May. Most of this must be put down to the smugglers stocking up in preparation for the World Cup."

He said the smuggling is not a "victimless crime".

"The victims are honourable people who run pubs, who cannot compete with criminals selling beer to young children out of the backs of vans and at car boot sales."

The busy cross-channel trade is down to the fact that duty on beer in France is 5p a pint, compared to 32p in the UK.

Of the 1.5 million pints a day legally shipped across the Channel, Customs & Excise estimate up to 70% are re-sold illegally in Britain.

Top destinations

The trade accounts for an estimated 5% of all the beer drunk in Britain, costing the Treasury £300m a year.

The BLRA said the top 10 destinations for beer vans last month were London, Manchester, Sheffield, Maidstone, Leeds, Birmingham, Reading, Portsmouth, Cardiff and Newcastle.