22m counterfeit cigarettes found

[Nibb]

22m counterfeit cigarettes found


The counterfeit cigarettes were hidden in linen and towels from Dubai

The biggest ever single haul of counterfeit cigarettes in Wales has been discovered in Cardiff.
The fake branded Classic Gold and Raquel cigarettes were hidden in three 40ft containers, within a cargo of bed linen and towels on a ship from Dubai.
Customs officers found the consignment, worth £5m just before Christmas. It was the biggest haul in the UK last year.
Investigation officers have been working to find the source of the haul and its UK destination.
They say the investigation into the seizure which was made on 19 December are continuing.
Details have only now been revealed because of the previous sensitivity of inquiries.
Andrew Pavlinic, assistant director of criminal investigation, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said: "The sheer quantity involved in this attempt suggests that these cigarettes could have ended up in locations across the UK.

CIGARETTE SEIZURES, 2008
December - 22m cigarettes, Cardiff
August - 9m, Felixstowe, Suffolk
May - 8m, Belfast
October - 4.5m, Coventry
Source: HM Revenue and Customs

"Had it been successful, it would have undermined the business of honest traders who only sell duty paid tobacco products.
"We have prevented UK consumers from being conned into buying cigarettes which are counterfeit and could have more serious risk to health than legitimate brands.
Mr Pavlinic added: "The huge profits reaped from the sales of these cigarettes would have been ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities like drug dealing and fraud.
"Buying cheap, smuggled cigarettes isn't a bargain - it means trading with criminals," he said.





Make the cunts smoke the lot!


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7834042.stm

[bbshark]

"We have prevented UK consumers from being conned into buying cigarettes which are counterfeit and could have more serious risk to health than legitimate brands.
Mr Pavlinic added: "The huge profits reaped from the sales of these cigarettes would have been ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities like drug dealing and fraud.
"Buying cheap, smuggled cigarettes isn't a bargain - it means trading with criminals," he said.

ok so lets get this straight. Smoking counterfeit cigs is bad for your health and will fund drugs and fraud.
ok so isnt smoking non counterfit drugs as a serious risk to health? and can you get much worse than what can already happen to you?
Also isnt tobbacco a drug and selling counterfeits fraud anyway so you know what your doing, your fund the person to go get you more cheep cigs.
What about it not being a bargin? they are around half the price isnt that a bargin? and who are they to say who we cal trade with

Btw im non smoker but just thought id point out a few things

[Raptor]

make them the same price as the rest of the world and you wont fucking see this

fucking government - they could give a shit about health - just taxes

[Nibb]

make them the same price as the rest of the world and you wont fucking see this

fucking government - they could give a shit about health - just taxes

If all the taxes on tobacco sales went to the NHS it'd be different.

[baronvon]

my understanding is tho (I`ve bought blag ones once or twice) they are full of so much more nasty shite than normal fags

I remember once getting Regal King Size and they literally made my lips numb !! (binned them after 1 !!)

THE BARON (ex smoker)

[Nikki]

thats alot of puff

[ilscuro]

Asian shop near me charging £6-50 now for 20 bensons, fook me you can buy 200 for £10 quid in dubai, which were probably made here and shipped there ffs

[c0axial]

But what are they full of ... sawdust......

[ilscuro]

Well if i asked a pack of sawdust, maybe