CIGARETTE RING SMASHED

Customs officers have broken a multi-million-pound smuggling ring and
seized 22 million cigarettes bound for the black market.

Eleven men were arrested near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Friday.
Earlier in the week, officers discovered three containers packed with
18 million cigarettes at the Thamesport freight terminal at Dartford,
Kent, and launched a surveillance operation.

One of the containers, with six million cigarettes inside, was
followed to a disused timber yard in the former mining town of Wath
upon Dearne. Officers lying in wait rounded up 11 men, who were later
released on bail. Many of the cigarettes were concealed in bed bases.

Stewart Gardner, a senior Customs officer, said: "This is one of the
largest ever seizures of contraband cigarettes in Britain and is worth
UKP2 million in lost revenue. This money could have been spent on the
health service or on schools, but would have lined the pockets of this
criminal gang."

A further 12 million cigarettes were found in the two containers in
Kent. All were shipped from India via Dubai. Their paperwork claimed
they held gypsum board for ceiling tiles.