Northern Ireland

An estimated 11 tonnes of loose tobacco seized by HMRC in Co Armagh

An estimated 11 tonnes of loose tobacco,1.6 million suspected counterfeit branded Excellence cigarettes, and the materials and equipment to produce many millions more have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs in Co Armagh
An estimated 11 tonnes of loose tobacco,1.6 million suspected counterfeit branded Excellence cigarettes, and the materials and equipment to produce many millions more have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs in Co Armagh An estimated 11 tonnes of loose tobacco,1.6 million suspected counterfeit branded Excellence cigarettes, and the materials and equipment to produce many millions more have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs in Co Armagh

An estimated 11 tonnes of loose tobacco, 1.6 million suspected counterfeit branded Excellence cigarettes and the materials and equipment to produce many millions more have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs in Co Armagh.

HMRC investigators, including Mobile Enforcement Teams and specialists in seizing criminal assets, accompanied by the PSNI, searched premises in the Camlough and Silverbridge areas on Thursday.

The cigarettes and tobacco, worth an estimated £8.3 million in lost duty and taxes, were discovered along with tobacco shredding, cigarette rolling and packaging machinery - part of a suspected illicit tobacco production.

The machinery is capable of producing more than 390 million cigarettes a year.

Steve Tracey, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: "Cheap cigarettes come at a cost as they often fund organised crime and other illegal activity that causes real harm to our communities.

"The sale of illegal tobacco will not be tolerated by us or our Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) partner agencies and disrupting criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs the UK around £1.9 billion a year".