Customs officers seized a total of 48,602 contraband cigarettes and over 210kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco from a semi-basement garage in Birkirkara.

A man was found loading cigarettes from a garage into a Peugeot Partner after a search operation conducted by Customs officials.

The man stated that he got them from a local supplier, but he refused to reveal who this supplier was. Also, he could not provide any invoices for the cigarettes containing excise banderols.

The taxes dues amount to €41,860.91.

The tax on the cigarettes amounts to €8,320.00 in excise duty, €1,813.96 in VAT and €346.48 in import duty.

With regards to the tobacco, the tax due amounted to €25,788.36 in excise duty and €5,592.11 in VAT.

Investigations are ongoing.