One million illegal cigarettes found in storage units in Sheffield

HM Revenue and Customs officers discovered 1,180,000 cigarettes at a self-storage site in the city on Monday.

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One of the units contained more than 600,000 cigarettes packed in cardboard boxes.

Eden Noblett, Assistant Director of HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, said:

'Trade in illicit tobacco costs the UK around £2.5 billion a year, money which should be used to fund our vital public services.

'This is theft from the taxpayer and undermines legitimate traders.

'We encourage anyone with information regarding the smuggling, storage or sale of illegal tobacco to report it to HMRC online, or contact our Fraud Hotline.'

No arrests have yet been made over the haul.

Call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.