More

    Illicit tobacco products worth £660k seized from Bradford

    iStock image

    More than 1.6 million cigarettes have been seized from self-storage units in Bradford, stated recent reports.

    HM Revenue and Customs officers took a tobacco detection dog to a self-storage site near the city centre on Wednesday (26), where they discovered 1,666,520 cigarettes and almost 50 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco inside two units.

    The tobacco products, which are believed to be illicit and worth an estimated £661,229 in unpaid duty, were seized by HMRC and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been made.The location of the seizure has not been disclosed by HMRC.

    Joanne Bagnall, assistant director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said ‘cheap cigarettes’ often funded organised crime and ‘come with a cost’.

    “The sale of illegal tobacco will not be tolerated by us or our partner agencies. Disrupting criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs the UK around £2.3 billion a year,” local reports quoted Bagnall as saying. 

    “This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.

    “Cheap cigarettes come at a cost, as they often fund organised crime and other illegal activity that causes real harm to our communities. We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco to report it online.”

    Latest

    Family-owned plant-based startup secures funding

    UK-based family-owned startup Shicken has raised £4 million in...

    KP Snacks launches new Tyrrells recycled plastic pack

    KP Snacks today announces the introduction of 25 per...

    Brew Dog delivers low ABV with new Cold Beer

    This summer, BrewDog is cooling down the beer aisle...

    Mangrove portfolio dominates at World Whiskies Awards 2024

    The independent distributor Mangrove’s world whisky portfolio recently cleared...

    Don't miss

    Family-owned plant-based startup secures funding

    UK-based family-owned startup Shicken has raised £4 million in...

    KP Snacks launches new Tyrrells recycled plastic pack

    KP Snacks today announces the introduction of 25 per...

    Brew Dog delivers low ABV with new Cold Beer

    This summer, BrewDog is cooling down the beer aisle...

    Mangrove portfolio dominates at World Whiskies Awards 2024

    The independent distributor Mangrove’s world whisky portfolio recently cleared...

    Co-op’s net zero targets validated global body

    Co-op has become the first UK convenience retailer to...

    Family-owned plant-based startup secures funding

    UK-based family-owned startup Shicken has raised £4 million in funds from Matthew Glover’s Veg Capital, which has tripled its investment in the plant-based meat...

    Co-op’s net zero targets validated global body

    Co-op has become the first UK convenience retailer to have its net zero targets validated by the globally recognised Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). According...

    Kitwave Group acquires 130-year-old delivered wholesaler

    Kitwave Group plc, the delivered wholesale business, has acquired Total Foodservice Solutions Limited, a leading independent food wholesaler in the North of England. Established over...