Smuggled cigarettes seized at Birmingham house

Mar 7 2009 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

CUSTOMS officers have seized nearly 90,000 smuggled cigarettes and around £10,000 in cash following a raid on a Birmingham house.

The haul of foreign branded cigarettes was found in large shopping bags in a downstairs pantry of the property in Inverclyde Road, Handsworth Wood.

Officers also discovered nearly 70 kilos of foreign branded Golden Virginia hand rolling tobacco. Together, the revenue loss to the public purse is around £22,000.

Customs officers were called to the property on Tuesday following a report from West Midlands Police who attended the house regarding a break-in.

The £10,000 cash was found in a bedroom and seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Customs officers are now investigating a Birmingham shopkeeper for allegedly selling smuggled cigarettes to local people.

They say the shopkeeper is an Iraqi national who owns and runs a general store in Handsworth.

Keith Morgan, detection manager for HM Revenue & Customs, said: “We are determined to eradicate this form of criminality.

“It has a devastating effect on all communities including legitimate retailers having to compete with black market goods. Tobacco smuggling costs the public purse £3 billion pound a year in lost revenue which could be funding vital public services such as hospitals, schools and care homes.”.

Anyone aware of illicit tobacco products is urged to contact the Customs hotline number on 0800 59 5000 or email customs.hotline@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk