Nearly £1 million sterling worth of smuggled cigarettes have been seized during a major Customs operation in Northern Ireland.
Officers make the seizure when they swooped on industrial premises at Carryduff on the outskirts of Belfast.
A batch of four million cigarettes, believed to be counterfeit, were netted during the raid mounted with police help.
A Northern Ireland Customs spokesperson said: "This shipment would have meant the loss of £860,000 in sales to local shops.
"It would take money away from the local economy and into the hands of a few criminals."
As officers examined the haul uncovered on the Saintfield Road, the Customs spokesman urged the public against purchasing the illegal goods.
"The sale of these cigarettes is not about providing a service, it's about profits for a few individuals at the expense of much needed revenue for hospitals and schools," he said.
PA
