Illegal cigarettes seized Credit: Newcastle City Council
More than 16,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized by a Newcastle Trading Standards raid at a store in Byker.
It is the second haul in as many weeks, bringing the total of seized illegal cigarettes to more than 20,000, following tip offs.
The cigarettes have been smuggled into the UK from Eastern Europe. The stash was hidden inside a laptop case and in a car boot which was parked outside the shop.
Some 16,420 cigarettes have been recovered and it is believed they have a street value of £5,000 and legal value of £10,000.
Cllr Nick Kemp Credit: Newcastle City Council
Around 5,000 illicit cigarettes were also seized by Trading Standards two weeks ago at two non-licensed premises in the city.
