1.7 million cigarettes seized in Bradford
21 January 2019, 15:15 | Updated: 21 January 2019, 15:18
HM Revenue and Customs officers have seized more than 1.7 million suspected illicit cigarettes and 86.45 kilos of rolling tobacco from storage units in Bradford city centre.
They were discovered at a self storage site near the city centre on Wednesday 18 January.
HMRC thinks the cigarettes and tobacco are worth an estimated half a million pounds in unpaid duty.
Eden Noblett, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said:
"Trade in illicit tobacco costs the UK around £2.5 billion a year, money which should be used to fund our vital public services. This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.
We encourage anyone with information regarding the smuggling, storage or sale of illegal tobacco to report it to HMRC online, or contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887."
No arrests have been made.
