Police find 40,000 illegal cigarettes in Luton inside van

Police officers in Luton have found 40,000 illegal cigarettes worth around £16,000 in the back of a van.

While responding to an incident that was called in via the radio, officers picked up on an unrelated matter along the way. The constables noticed a man acting suspiciously in a service road off King Street, in the centre of the town.

A post from Luton Community Policing Team read: “We followed through and found approximately 40,000 illegal cigarettes with an estimated retail value of around £16,000, in the back of his vehicle.”

Luton Trading Standards were on hand to successfully seize the cigarettes. The post continued: “Working together in record time, we were able to see to it that this man’s plans to make an extra (and very much illegal) income were firmly stopped.”

PC Simon Betts said: “The supply of illegal cigarettes is often connected to organised crime group activity and by seizing these, they are not only off our streets, but we may have protected potential consumers.

“If you have purchased or are thinking of purchasing something you suspect to be suspicious, please contact Trading Standards or report to us via our website.”