Smuggled tobacco seized in raids

John Powell says the raids hit smugglers' wallets

Customs officers have seized more than a ton of tobacco and nearly one and a half million cigarettes in raids in the East Midlands.

Undercover officers from HM Customs and Excise visited more than 250 homes suspected of links with smuggling.

They say the trade in smuggled tobacco costs the public purse £2bn in lost taxes every year.

Officer John Powell urged people not to buy cheap cigarettes or tobacco.

It is a fast-moving operation where we hit them in the pockets

John Powell, HM Customs and Excise

"Lots of organised crime which has been involved with drug trafficking has actually switched to cigarettes and tobacco because it is just as lucrative.

"So when people are offered a bargain packet of cigarettes of a bargain pouch of tobacco, I would ask them to think very carefully about who they are handing their money over to."

Mr Powell said: "Most of the action has been what we call disruption. It is confined to seizing the goods and moving on.

"There are lots of people getting involved in this smuggling. It is a fast-moving operation where we hit them in the pockets.

"If any persistent offenders surface then there will be prosecutions."