Smuggled tobacco seized in raids

There was enough rolling tobacco to make 2,000 cigarettes

Thousands of smuggled cigarettes have been seized in a crackdown by new inland detection teams working for HM Revenue and Customs in Devon.

Nearly 6,500 cigarettes and more than 1kg (2.2lb) of rolling tobacco were found during the raids in Barnstaple, Torquay, and Plymouth.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said about £3bn of revenue is lost each year because of smuggled tobacco.

Enquiries are continuing, but no arrests have yet been made.

This type of crime is crippling the nation Bob Gaiger, HMRC

HMRC spokesman Bob Gaiger said the purpose of the raids was to disrupt the illegal sales of non UK duty paid tobacco products.

He warned that further exercises would be carried out in the near future.

"The truth is this type of crime is crippling the nation and depriving the public purse of around £3bn a year in lost revenue," he said.

"The effect on legitimate traders who have to compete on an uneven playing ground is devastating."

The rolling tobacco seized during the raids was sufficient for about 2,000 cigarettes.