Border Force officers have made a dent in attempts to flood Britain’s streets with illegal cigarettes, seizing 4,884,001 cigarettes alongside 405kg of rolling tobacco worth an estimated £2.59m in a four-day crackdown at Manchester Airport.
Targeting “high-risk flights, baggage and passengers,” officers seized illegal cigarettes and tobacco, made four arrests and denied entry to 23 people. Officers also seized 35kg of cannabis.
Hiding places
In one case, a brazen smuggler was caught attempting to bring in 100,000 cigarettes in six suitcases on a flight from Dubai. Other smugglers tried everything from modified pillows to false-bottomed suitcases to sneak cigarettes past Border Force, with specialist detector dogs deployed alongside officers during the operation.
Where benefit claimants are involved, the Department for Work and Pensions will investigate and could strip them of their benefits where fraud is found. Following the operation, 26 people have been referred for further investigation. Foreign nationals will be denied entry and have their ETAs cancelled.
Minister for Migration & Citizenship, Jo White MP, said: “Tobacco smuggling is not just about a cut-price packet of cigarettes. It undercuts honest businesses and lines the pockets of organised criminals.
”Those who think they can profit from smuggling illegal cigarettes into Britain should think again.”
“Those who think they can profit from smuggling illegal cigarettes into Britain should think again. You will be caught, prosecuted, and put behind bars.”
The crackdown builds on Border Force’s year-round fight against cigarette smuggling, targeting higher-risk flights to build intelligence on the criminal networks behind the trade, it said.
Last year, Border Force and HMRC seized 1.9bn illicit cigarettes, resulting in 201 arrests, 134 charges and 83 convictions. In addition, retailers caught selling illegal cigarettes can face fines of up to £10k. Last year, these penalties topped more than £2m.
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