10.8 Million Cigarettes Seized By HMRC At Belfast Port

His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are investigating following the seizure of 10.8 million illegal cigarettes at Belfast Port, in a joint operation with Border Force on 20th June.

The cigarettes have a total worth of £5.3 million in unpaid taxes and were found packed in cardboard boxes in a container that Border Force had already scanned.

Lucie Irving of HMRC’s fraud investigation service, described the seizure as "huge" and stated "our streets would have been flooded with them [illegal cigarettes] had they not been discovered".

HMRC have said that they are determined to cut out illegal cigarettes, with disrupting criminal trade at the heart of their strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market – a market that costs the UK around £2.5 billion a year. HMRC describe this as theft from the taxpayer and undermining legitimate traders.

According to HMRC, cheap cigarettes often fund organised crime and cause harm inside communities through other illegal activity like drugs, guns, and trafficking. Children and young people are targeted by those who sell illegal tobacco and cigarettes encouraging them to take up smoking and exposing them to crime. HMRC plan to tackle this issue by working closely with their partners in the UK and internationally. HMRC also urge anyone with information on cigarette fraud to contact HMRC online.

Darren Brabon of Border Force said: "This seizure is another example of our commitment with HMRC and partner agencies to stop these illicit items from entering the country and harming our communities."

No arrests have been made at this time.

(RP)