MORE than 10,000 illegal cigarettes and half a kilo of hand rolling tobacco were seized in Hull this week.
HM Revenue and Customs and Hull Trading Standards officers used sniffer dogs to detect hidden tobacco products during searches of five shops.
Among the finds, 1,160 illegal cigarettes were hidden inside a hollowed out door at a shop on Spring Bank, 3,560 illegal cigarettes and 10.35 grams of hand rolling tobacco were found inside crates at a shop on Spring Bank.
There were also 5,200 duty free cigarettes discovered in an under-floor compartment which was hidden by a false floor tile at a shop on Beverley Road.
Jo Tyler, assistant director, criminal investigation, HMRC, said: "Tobacco fraud is not a victimless crime and encourages otherwise honest people to trade with criminals.
"The gangs involved are unlicensed and unregulated and often sell counterfeit goods.
"The huge profit they reap from illegal cigarette sales is ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities like drug dealing and fraud."
Anyone with information about the storage or sale of illegal tobacco should call the Customs hotline on 0800 59 5000.
HM Revenue and Customs and Hull Trading Standards officers used sniffer dogs to detect hidden tobacco products during searches of five shops.
Among the finds, 1,160 illegal cigarettes were hidden inside a hollowed out door at a shop on Spring Bank, 3,560 illegal cigarettes and 10.35 grams of hand rolling tobacco were found inside crates at a shop on Spring Bank.
There were also 5,200 duty free cigarettes discovered in an under-floor compartment which was hidden by a false floor tile at a shop on Beverley Road.
Jo Tyler, assistant director, criminal investigation, HMRC, said: "Tobacco fraud is not a victimless crime and encourages otherwise honest people to trade with criminals.
"The gangs involved are unlicensed and unregulated and often sell counterfeit goods.
"The huge profit they reap from illegal cigarette sales is ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities like drug dealing and fraud."
Anyone with information about the storage or sale of illegal tobacco should call the Customs hotline on 0800 59 5000.
