Children are being used by organised syndicates smuggling huge amounts of cigarettes into the North, it was revealed tonight.
As Customs and Excise officers carried out a major crackdown they revealedthat children were among those being used to try and get suitcase loads ofcigarettes through Belfast International Airport.
"We have had occasions where kids have been used to carry the casescontaining the tobacco - the idea being customs won't stop them," said aspokesman.
In the past 10 days more than 800,000 smuggled cigarettes and 20 kilos ofhand-rolling tobacco have been seized at the airport.
Smuggling from countries where cigarettes are much cheaper is amulti-million pound business in Northern Ireland.
There was no shortage of volunteers of "mules" to try and bring thecontraband in, said Colin McAllister, head of the Customs and Exciseanti-smuggling unit in Northern Ireland.
He said there were individuals who just took a chance when coming back fromholiday.Then there were the organised syndicates.
"Large groups deliberately usingpackage holidays, going out on charter flights to disguise themselves," hesaid.
Cigarettes on which no duty had been paid were smuggled back through theairport and sold on.
There were markets in clubs, workplaces and car boot sales, he said.Those caught face confiscation of their booty and potential prosecution.
There was little protest or claims of confusion about allowance limits when asmuggler was stopped at the airport, said Mr McAllister.
"Who goes out and buys 30,000 cigarettes," he said. PA