Customs enforcement officers seized 1,700 contraband cigarettes from the storage of an outlet in Cospicua late yesterday evening. The seizure 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.

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 officers subsequently seized the items pending investigations.