Black market ciggies found in Hereford (From Hereford Times)

Black market ciggies found in Hereford

12:22pm Tuesday 14th December 2010 in News By Bill Tanner

AROUND 300,000 cigarettes ready for sale on the black market have been found at a flat in Hereford city centre.

The seizure is the county’s biggest such haul to date with the potential duty avoided topping £150,000.

All 300,000 cigarettes were found in a flat above a shop along with substantial - and just as illegal - quantities of rolling tobacco beers, and spirits.

More cigarettes were found at another city centre premises raided in the combined customs, police, and trading standards operation yesterday morning.

The raid follows a similar operation in September which saw nearly 40,000 cigarettes seized from two city centre shops.

This operation exposed to investigators the extent of a black market said to be thriving throughout the county with cigarettes being sold as bulk blocks of up to 200 at prices around half the retail value.