Over one million illegal cigarettes seized on A19 by Cleveland Police

Over one million illegal cigarettes have been seized and a man arrested on Teesside after a van was stopped on the A19.

On Friday 19 April, a Renault van containing 1,230,000 illegal cigarettes travelling on the A19 was stopped by Cleveland Police's Matrix team.

Officers found 123 boxes of cigarettes located in the van, each containing 10,000 cigarettes. These have now been seized.

The male driver was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and HMRC related offences.

Cleveland Police Matrix Team says it will continue to target illegal use of the roads.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…