Three million cigarettes uncovered at port

12:27pm Monday 24th September 2007

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Three million contraband cigarettes have been uncovered at a port amongst timber pallets.

Customs officers working at Newhaven port made the discovery in an unaccompanied trailer on a ferry from Dieppe, France.

The officers searched the trailer after it had been driven off the ferry and found three million British brand cigarettes hidden amongst the 20 pallets of timber. The revenue evaded on the goods was almost £560,000. The cigarettes were found on September 13.

A 32-year-old lorry driver from Staffordshire, who had arrived at the port to collect a trailer, was arrested, interviewed and released on bail pending further enquiries.

Bob Gaiger, Revenue and Customs spokesman, said: "Customs take a very serious view of cigarette and tobacco smuggling.

"It is not a harmless tax fiddle. This type of activity harms honest businesses and costs the UK billions of pounds in lost revenue that ends up lining the pockets of criminals instead of funding vital public services."