The driver of a vanload of contraband cigarettes had the bad luck on Friday to stop outside a garage to unload them when customs and police officers were inside in an operation searching for counterfeit cigarettes.

The joint customs and police operation led to the confiscation of 660 cartons of cigarettes on which duty had not been paid, the department said. This followed several days of surveillance which culminated on Friday in searches in various garages in three localities in Malta.

The customs statement said that 250 cartons were found in two of the garages raided. Excise duty had not been paid on them. Bottles of alcoholic drinks were also found in one of the garages, and customs are working to establish if the drinks were contraband as well.

As the customs and police officials were conducting their search in one of the garages, a van was driven up and parked in front of the garage. Enforcement officials approached and found 410 cartons of cigarettes, on which excise duty had also not been paid.

Customs confiscated the 132,000 cigarettes and drinks which had been found, and the van.

Two people are being held for further investigations.