Three men have been charged after HMRC officers uncovered one of Scotland’s largest ever illegal cigarette operations.
Properties and warehouses were targeted in Glasgow, Airdrie and Hamilton where over four million cigarettes and £20,000 was seized.
A HMRC spokesman outlined the individual raids took place last Thursday, November 19, and involved more than 50 HMRC officers and eight from Police Scotland.
He confirmed cigarettes found in the Glasgow warehouse are believed to be worth an estimated £1.6 million in lost duty and taxes.
Further enquiries led to the uncovering of a tobacco factory in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, which was dismantled with the seizure of two industrial mixing machines, a tobacco shredding machine, packaging and 45kg of tobacco.
And in an operation supported by Police Scotland, three men from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, aged between 25 and 34 were arrested and charged with Excise Duty fraud and money laundering offences.
Some £20,000 cash was also seized from one of the properties.
Joe Hendry, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “This is another example of the combined powers our partners at the Scottish Crime Campus and Serious Organised Crime Taskforce have to disrupt, detect and deter the illicit trade of tobacco and other forms of criminality.
“Tackling 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.
“This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.
Three people were arrested, interviewed and charged with suspected Excise Duty fraud and money laundering.
A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.
The three men have been released pending further investigation.
Anyone with information about the illegal sale of cigarettes can report it to HMRC online here or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.
