A Nottinghamshire farm is at the centre of a cigarette smuggling investigation after almost two million cigarettes were seized by HM Revenue& Customs (HMRC) at what is believed to be an illegal distribution site.
HMRC officers found 1,845,400 illegal cigarettes in three white vans hidden in outbuildings at the farm. The haul is estimated to be worth around £415,000 in unpaid excise duty and VAT.
HMRC’s regional head of detection, Keith Morgan, said: “This incident highlights our concerns at the ongoing problem of the supply of illegal tobacco across Nottinghamshire. Tobacco smuggling is organised criminality on a global scale and robs the taxpayer of millions each year in unpaid duty and VAT. Anyone with information about the storage or sale of illegal tobacco in their area should contact the Customs’ hotline on 0800 59 5000.”
The illegal cigarettes and the vehicles used to transport them were seized as part of a series of ongoing operations targeting the supply of illicit tobacco across Nottinghamshire this week HMRC believes that the illegal cigarettes had been smuggled into the country and were then broken down into smaller consignments at the farm ready for distribution onto the local black market.
Source: HM Revenue& Customs (HMRC)
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