HMRC shuts Glasgow tobacco 'factory' |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 22 October 2007 )
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 Glasgow smokers may be at risk from cheap, poor quality counterfeit Golden Virginia tobacco, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has confirmed after raiding a tobacco 'factory' housed in a city flat.
When HMRC officers searched the flat in Hill Street, Glasgow earlier this week almost 170kg of illicit tobacco was discovered as well as wrappers, cellophane and duty stamps aimed at misleading buyers into thinking that they were buying genuine Golden Virginia hand rolling tobacco.
Speaking after the find AnnMarie Symes, HMRC Scotland said:
"This was a sophisticated operation with the manufacturers touting tobacco around the city, claiming that it was cheap duty free. The reality is that the product was extremely poor quality tobacco with loose tea added to bulk it up.
"People who produce counterfeit tobacco undercut honest businesses, deprive the UK of funding and con their customers. Smokers should never buy tobacco or cigarettes from third parties in pubs, clubs or from markets or car boot sales because they don't know what they're buying. What seems to be too good to be true often is."
On entering the premises, officers found a large quantity of empty Chinese loose tea wrappings in the kitchen as well as four black bags and a cardboard box filled with very poor quality loose tobacco. Some of this had been dropped on the floor and swept up again, ready for sale later.
In the loft, officers found numerous sealed packages of tea and loose tobacco along with Golden Virginia pouches, outer wrappings, tax stamps and cellophane.
Enquiries are continuing.
Anyone with information about tobacco smuggling should contact HMRC's confidential hotline on 0800 59 5000, or by email to
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