11/04/2003

Customs seize cigarettes in Peterhead

Customs officers seized over 26,000 smuggled cigarettes in an operation at Peterhead Harbour on Wednesday.

Officers from local detection teams stopped a Peterhead man who had just bought 12,600 duty free cigarettes from the crew of a Russian cargo vessel. A search of his house uncovered a further 1,500 cigarettes and all goods, along with his car, were seized.

Local officers and the crew of the Customs cutter Sentinel then searched the vessel and seized a further 12,000 cigarettes. The vessel, which was carrying fertiliser, has now been released following payment of a fine.

The potential revenue loss would have been around £5,000.

This follows recent seizures totalling nearly 400,000 cigarettes from vessels at Perth, Inverness and Peterhead harbours.

(GMcG)

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