Cigarettes and tobacco worth £67k seized in Lowestoft

A total of 90,000 cigarettes and 45kg of hand-rolling tobacco were found during the police operation on February 6.

Police teamed up with HM Revenue and Customs and recovered the cigarettes and tobacco from a single storage unit and a vehicle in Triangle Market.

Cigarettes and tobacco were discovered in a single storage unit and from a vehicle in Triangle Market. (Image: Suffolk Police)

A large man-made hiding place created under the floorboards was found at the rear of a shop in the Triangle and also contained tobacco products.

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Sergeant Richard Bemment from Lowestoft police said: “This was a very productive operation as illicit tobacco contributes to harm within the local community and often goes hand in hand with anti-social behaviour and more serious criminality wider afield or on a national scale."

90,000 cigarettes and 45kg of tobacco were seized, worth £67,000. (Image: Suffolk Police)

Police subsequently arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with the incident on February 10 and he was released on bail pending further enquiries until May 1.

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Police Community Support Officer Michael Soames said: "As well as the duty and tax loss, there is a massive human cost behind this trade in illegal tobacco products.

A large man-made hiding place was discovered under the floorboards of a shop in the Triangle, at the rear of the shop premises, also containing tobacco products. (Image: Suffolk Police)
"Health issues or the supporting of human trafficking and modern-day slavery tend to go hand in hand with these types of offences, which working with our partners we are determined to tackle.”