Thousands of cigarettes, 4.25 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco and 1,273 litres of alcohol were seized by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials during raids across south Liverpool.
HMRC, supported by police and trading standards, raided seven shops in the Wavertree area on Wednesday during an operation to operation to disrupt the sale and supply of illegal tobacco and alcohol.
They seized 8.920 cigarettes, with an estimated £3,404 duty and VAT evaded, from two shops and from a parked car. They also seized 4.25 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated £1,304 duty and VAT evaded. The cigarettes and tobacco was suspected of being illegal.
HMRC officers also detained 1,273 litres of alcohol from a third shop, with enquiries ongoing into the origin of the goods.
Russell Murphy, Regional Area Director for Taskforce and Specialist Compliance, HMRC, said to the ECHO: "The sale of illegal tobacco and alcohol 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 £1.8 billion a year, and the sale of illicit alcohol which costs the UK around £0.9 billion per year. This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.
“We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or alcohol to report it online or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
