From: Hull Daily Mail
BORDER officers have seized more than 2.5 million cigarettes which were being smuggled into a Hull dock.
The contraband cigarettes were hidden inside jars of dried coffee in a trailer on board the ferry from Zeebrugge to Hull.
Border Force officers, who made the discovery, said the Treasury would have missed out on £575,000 in unpaid duty if the haul had not been discovered.
It is believed to be the biggest seizure at the dock for more than five years.
Sam Bullimore, of the Border Force, said: “This was an excellent piece of detection work by our officers, which prevented a large haul of contraband cigarettes reaching the UK streets.
“Tobacco smuggling is not victimless. It is effectively stealing from the public purse at a time when the country can least afford it.
“Our officers will continue to use their own expertise, sniffer dogs and the latest technology to keep illegal goods out of the UK.”
The seizure was made on Thursday while Border Force officers were carrying out checks after the overnight sailing from Zeebrugge had arrived at King George Dock.
Inside the Belgian-registered trailer, which was carrying dried coffee, were 2,548,000 cigarettes. The packets were hidden within the jars of coffee.
No arrests have been made.
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Cigarettes seized at Hull’s King George Dock
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Huge haul: Border officers have seized more than 2.5 million cigarettes, which were hidden inside jars of dried coffee in a trailer on board the ferry from Zeebrugge to Hull.
This week, gangs smuggling items into the city’s docks were warned they will be caught after Richard Wright was jailed for nine years for trying to smuggle £2 million of cocaine into Hull in 2004.
Wright fled the country and went on the run – continuing his illegal activities – but was tracked down and sentenced to nine years in prison at Manchester Crown Court last week. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import class A drugs through Zeebrugge in Belgium after he was arrested by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers in November last year.
Mike O’Grady, HMRC assistant director of criminal investigation, said: “The message is clear – if you attempt to defraud the Exchequer, we will track you down and you will have your day in court.”
In 2010, more than 1.5 million cigarettes – worth £312,000 in unpaid duty – were found hidden inside concrete blocks in a lorry during a search by officers at King George Dock.
And in 2009, officers found more than a million cigarettes hidden in a cargo of pint glasses.
Two million cigarettes were found in a shipment of dog food passing through the dock in 2007.
The Border Force was created in March after being separated from the UK Border Agency.
Border Force is responsible for controls and customs functions at the UK’s borders, covering responsibilities including immigration and security checks and anti-smuggling of banned and restricted goods including drugs and weapons.
