THOUSANDS of illegal cigarettes and pouches of tobacco have been uncovered in Southampton as part of a huge government operation.

Officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), with support from Trading Standards, visited nine retail premises and nine self-storage premises across the city between November 13 and 14.

The scheme saw more than 20,000 cigarettes and almost nine kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco seized, all believed to be illicit.

Tracey Noon, assistant director for Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, said: “The sale of illegal tobacco 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 £2.5 billion a year. This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.

“We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco to report it online or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

The visits, as part of HMRC’s Tobacco Taskforce activity, led to 20,460 suspected non-duty paid cigarettes and 8.78 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco being seized from five premises, with an estimated £9,882 duty and VAT evaded.

Since 2000, HMRC has reduced the illicit market in cigarettes nationally by around a third.

In the last two financial years, over 2.8 billion illicit cigarettes and over 660 tonnes of hand-rolling tobacco have been seized resulting in approximately 700 prosecutions.

HMRC can also levy civil penalties on anyone handling, using or supplying non-duty paid tobacco products.

The HMRC said it was unable to confirm which city units had been targeted in the operation.

The raids come after Euro Food Store, on Bridge Road, Woolston, had its licence to sell alcohol and tobacco pulled for selling illegal cigarettes.

Earlier this year New Rywal, on St Mary’s Road, received the largest ever local fine for also selling illegal tobacco.