Contraband seized in Telford and Shrewsbury
Contraband including nearly 3,500 litres of alcohol was seized across Telford and Shrewsbury in one day last week.
Telford and Wrekin Council's trading standards officers worked with West Mercia Police and HM Revenue and Customers officers to visit five shops and two self-storage units, leading to the seizure of cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol, believed to be illegal.
The visits, part of HMRC's Tobacco Taskforce activity, led to suspected illegal tobacco and alcohol being seized - including 25,680 cigarettes, with an estimated £6,852 duty and VAT evaded; 18.25 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated £3,731 duty and VAT evaded; 3,489 litres of alcohol, with an estimated £5,276 duty and VAT evaded.
One car was also seized by officers.
Paul Fisher, assistant director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said: "The sale of illegal tobacco and alcohol will not be tolerated by us or partner agencies.
"Disrupting criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs the UK around £2.5 billion a year, and the sale of illicit alcohol which costs the UK around £1.3 billion a year."
The owners of the five shops were interviewed by HMRC officers and investigations are currently on-going.
Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or alcohol, should call the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000.
