Cigarettes seized at airport

Exeter Airport: Flight targeted

More than 250,000 cigarettes have been seized from a group of incoming passengers at Exeter Airport.

Eight men and woman were arrested by customs officers checking an early morning flight from Tenerife.

They were allegedly carrying 18 suitcases full of cigarettes.

Three men have been charged with duty evasion offences.

The criminal gangs who target regional airports will be getting the message Customs spokesman Bob Gaiger

Mitchell Brazil, 19, of Main Road, Minsterworth; Robert Freeman, 22, of Bourton Road, Tuffley and Peter Wakeman, 24, of Sussex Gardens, Hucclecote, all in Gloucester, were released on bail and are due to appear at Exeter Magistrates' Court on 13 January next year on duty evasion charges.

The three men were charged with evading approximately £16,400 revenue on 96,760 cigarettes.

The remaining five men and one woman were released without charge, pending further Customs enquiries.

Among them were two men were from Ivybridge, near Plymouth, Devon, who allegedly had 63,320 cigarettes between them.

Two men and a woman from the Southampton area are alleged to have had 91,020 cigarettes.

One man from Wellington, Somerset was said to be carrying 36,380 cigarettes.

'A huge seizure'

The normal duty free allowance of 200 cigarettes each apply to travellers from Tenerife.

Customs spokesman Bob Gaiger, said: "This is a huge seizure for Exeter.

"On most days we might seize a few thousand cigarettes from people who are bringing in more than their duty-free allowance.

"The criminal gangs who target regional airports will be getting the message."