1,700 contraband cigarettes seized by Customs

Customs officials said that an owner of an outlet in Cospicua was caught red-handed retrieving cartons of contraband cigarettes from a storage unit next to his shop

The confiscation of the items, Customs said, comes after months of surveillance (Photo: Customs Office)
The confiscation of the items, Customs said, comes after months of surveillance (Photo: Customs Office)

Customs Enforcement Officials have seized 1,700 contraband cigarettes from the storage of an outlet in Cospicua late yesterday evening.

The seizure, Customs said, comes after months of surveillance operations by the officials.

"The owner of said outlet was caught red-handed retrieving cartons of contraband cigarettes from a storage unit next to his shop," Customs said on a statement on Saturday.

The officials quickly carried out an inspection at both the outlet and the store and elevated a total of 1,700 cigarettes which do not bear any excise tags.

The officials subsequently seized the items pending investigations.