Customs seize over 120,000 cigarettes from gang
15.12.07
Just over 121,000 cigarettes were seized by customs officers this week from a gang of 13 people trying to smuggle them in to the UK via East Midlands Airport. They were seized as the group, who were mostly from Derbyshire, returned to the airport on a flight from Riga, Latvia, on Tuesday afternoon.
The revenue loss had the cigarettes not been discovered is estimated at £23,000. They will now be burnt in an incinerator at a power station. No arrests have been made, but investigations are ongoing.
John MacMillan, detection manager for HM Revenue & Customs at the airport, said: 'We will not hesitate to take action against those dealing smuggled goods and evading duty. Selling illicit tobacco products is not a harmless tax fiddle - it cheats the nation of about £3bn a year that could be used to fund vital public services such as hospitals and schools.'
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