BLACKMARKET cigarettes, tobacco and booze were discovered during raids on 60 corner shops and mini marts in Harrow, Brent and parts of Hillingdon.

Last week officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) visited Harrow, Wembley. Edgware, Kenton, Kingsbury, Ruislip, Eastcote, Northwood Hills, Wealdstone and Sudbury in a joint blitz with Trading Standards, council licensing teams and Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

They seized around 2,000 litres of alcohol, 9,640 cigarettes and 91 kilos of tobacco that had been smuggled into the UK to avoid a combined total of £15,000 of excise duty.

The goods would have been sold under the counter or openly as 'cut price' goods, according to HMRC spokesman Bob Gaiger, and could have been either genuine brands or counterfeit.

He said: "”We are committed to tackling anyone who is selling illicit alcohol and tobacco products. This is not a victimless crime.

"It costs the nation millions of pounds in lost revenue each year, which could be used to fund vital public services.

"I urge anyone with information about the sale or storage of illicit alcohol and tobacco, to call the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000 or email customs.hotline@hmrc.gsi gov.uk. “